The Los Angeles Dodgers will turn to veteran and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw when they open the World Series on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life (NYSE:GL) Field in Arlington, Texas.
The Rays announced that right-hander Tyler Glasnow will get the Game 1 start opposite of Kershaw. He will take the ball ahead of left-hander Blake Snell, who will start for the Rays in Game 2.
Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner with a spotty playoff history, still is in search of his first World Series title even though he is in the playoffs for the 10th time in his career. His career 4.31 ERA in 35 postseason appearances is at least part of the reason he still is without a championship ring.
The left-hander does have his noteworthy playoff performances, but those get overshadowed by his meltdowns, including a relief outing in Game 5 of the National League Division Series last season when the Washington Nationals advanced.
Kershaw gave up back-to-back home runs to Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto in the eighth inning as Washington tied the game. The Nationals won it on a Howie Kendrick grand slam off Joe Kelly in the 10th and the Dodgers were left without a title again.
Kershaw is 1-2 in five World Series appearances (four starts) with a 5.40 ERA for a club that last won it all in 1988.
The 32-year old was 6-2 with a 2.16 ERA in the regular season and is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in three starts of the postseason. He took the loss in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves when he gave up four runs on seven hits over five innings in an outing that was delayed two days because of back spasms. He will pitch Game 1 on regular four days of rest.
The Dodgers have not named a Game 2 starter. Three of their five starters -- Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and Julio Urias -- appeared in Sunday's Game 7 victory over the Braves.
Glasnow, 27, is a Los Angeles-area native who went 5-1 over 11 starts in the regular season with a 4.08 ERA. He is 2-1 in four postseason outings with a 4.66 ERA, taking the loss in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros when he gave up four runs on eight hits in six innings.
The Rays are making their second World Series appearance, losing in 2008 to the Philadelphia Phillies.
--Field Level Media