Dodgers News: JD Martinez Appreciates What Clayton Kershaw Does to Help Team Through Injuries

Clayton Kershaw is not 100 percent. But he's doing everything he can to will this Dodgers team to hopefully a long postseason run.

With all the injuries and off-the-field issues in the starting rotation, Kershaw knows the Dodgers need him. So with his shoulder issue and all, Kershaw is continuing to battle for his team, and his teammates are taking notice.

"Just Kersh being Kersh, honestly," J.D. Martinez said after Saturday's five shutout inning performance. "He goes out there -- I know he hasn't been out there as much as he wants to be -- but he battles with his body and he's in there every day grinding harder than anybody. You just tip your hat to him. We're going to need him going down the stretch."

"Just Kersh being Kersh... you have to tip your cap to him, we're going to need him down the stretch." J.D. Martinez (HR, 3 RBI) on Kershaw's five scoreless innings. pic.twitter.com/WN7D7C3w77
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) September 24, 2023

On Saturday, Kershaw took the mound for what could be his final regular season home start ever. And while he didn't have his best stuff, he battled across five shutout innings, allowing just four base runners while striking out five.

His velocity never reached even 90 mph, but he still managed to get eight swings-and-misses and, more importantly, shut out LA's biggest rival en route to a 7-0 victory to clinch a first-round bye in the postseason.

In what could be his last ever regular season start at Dodger Stadium, Clayton Kershaw shut down the Giants despite not touching 90 mph:

5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 8 Whiffs

He’s expected to start next Saturday against SF, and then in Game 1 or 2 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) September 24, 2023

Kershaw is scheduled to make one more start on Saturday against the Giants in San Francisco before he takes the mound in either Game 1 or Game 2 of the postseason. While the Dodgers won't be expecting him to go deep into games like he used to, if he can do what he did on Saturday throughout October, LA will be in great shape.