Last year Clayton Kershaw was ruled out from extending his franchise record streak of Opening Day starts to nine in a row because shoulder inflammation forced him to begin the season on the 10-day injured list.
Kershaw enjoyed a healthy 2019 campaign upon returning and by all accounts was in strong mental and physical condition this spring. Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Kershaw as the team’s 2020 Opening Day starter, selecting his left-handed ace over Walker Buehler.
But it was ultimately rendered a moot point — at least as it pertains to the originally scheduled Opening Day on March 26 — as Major League Baseball was forced to cancel Spring Training and delay the start of the season in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.