Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw Doesn't Hold Back on Rough Outing in NLDS Game 3

Oct 8, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) reacts after giving up a home run during the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game three of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers blew their chance to put the Philadelphia Phillies away Wednesday night. The defending champions had seemingly done the impossible by taking the first two games of the National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park and the series went back to LA for Game 3.

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The Dodgers had home-field advantage and a steady 2-0 lead to secure the series sweep over the Phillies and punch their ticket to the NL Championship Series.

But what transpired at Chavez Ravine Wednesday night was more of a nightmare. The Phillies had scored six runs in the first two games combined, but in a must-win Game 3, the NL powerhouse made a statement with an 8-2 win over the Dodgers in LA.

The Dodgers pitching staff had been phenomenal heading into Wednesday's game, but several LA pitchers struggled in Game 3.

The Dodgers had their ace on the mound in Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The right-hander could only get through four innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits.

By the seventh inning, the Dodgers had deployed future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw out of the bullpen with LA down, 3-1.

The southpaw had a rocky outing, allowing four earned runs across two innings. It was far from the performance the Dodgers needed in order to sweep the Phillies.

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“It was a tough couple of innings there," Kershaw said in front of his locker. “Just didn’t make enough good pitches. I was battling command. It’s hard when you’re trying to throw strikes as opposed to getting people out.

“It just wasn’t a fun outing."

Manager Dave Roberts also spoke on what went wrong for Kershaw, who tossed 5.1 scoreless innings in his last regular season start, on the mound.

“He just didn’t have a great slider tonight,” Roberts said. “I think Clayton pitches off his slider. When the slider’s not there – depthy, teethy … then the fastball command, he was working behind, too. Just the command wasn’t there tonight.”

Dodgers star Mookie Betts doesn't think Kershaw's rough outing holds any weight on his baseball legacy, and the left-hander could very well turn things around in his next appearance for the Dodgers.

"We can't use two innings. He's gonna have a statue in front of Dodger Stadium," Betts said of his teammate. "Kershaw is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. One of the best pitchers to ever do it. If you let two innings ruin that, then you don't know baseball."

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