For nearly the past decade, Clayton Kershaw starting on opening day was a move that did not need to be announced. It was expected that the best left-handed starting pitcher of the current generation would toe the rubber to throw the first pitches for the Dodgers’ season. This season it appears that Kershaw won’t start opening day and the Dodgers will send out a different starter for the first time since Vicente Padilla started opening day in 2010.
While Clayton has not yet been ruled out to opening day, the Dodgers have been very quiet about his status and Dave Roberts has acknowledged that time is running out for Kershaw to be ready for opening day.