On Friday night, the Dodgers will send Clayton Kershaw, the greatest pitcher of his generation, to the mound in Milwaukee to open the NLCS. The three-time Cy Young winner and 2014 NL MVP is coming off an eight-inning shutout of the Braves in the Division Series, allowing only three baserunners all night. His stuff has taken a step down from his prime, but he’s still the kind of pitcher most general managers would sacrifice family members for to get on the hill in a playoff game.
To oppose the mighty Kershaw, the Brewers will send out their own ace: a 30-year-old righthander who throws 90 mph and is on his fifth team in the last four seasons.