It wasn’t Clayton Kershaw’s sharpest night, but it didn’t take long for the Dodgers to erase his early deficit thanks to a familiar power surge — this time from rising centerfielder Andy Pages.
Facing a 3-0 hole in the bottom of the first inning, Pages delivered a jolt to the crowd at Dodger Stadium with a three-run blast to straightaway center off Angels starter Griffin Canning. The shot tied the game and marked Pages’ ninth home run of the season, giving L.A. new life in what quickly turned into a slugfest. “Andy Pages ties it up for the Dodgers with a 3-run blast!” MLB’s official X account posted in real-time.
Pages’ homer capped off a four-batter response after the Angels jumped on Kershaw in the top of the frame. Making his first start since last August, the 37-year-old Kershaw was welcomed back with a three-run opening inning, including an RBI single by Logan O’Hoppe and a double from Matthew Lugo.
Angels spoil Clayton Kershaw’s season debut for Dodgers
Kershaw would settle in marginally but lasted just four innings, allowing five earned runs on five hits and three walks. His fastball velocity sat around 89.2 mph, not far off from where he’s been in recent years, but his command was erratic, especially in the first inning. “I love getting back out there,” Kershaw said postgame. “It’s a special thing to pitch at Dodger Stadium… I wanted to pitch better. I need to pitch better.”
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Despite the rough outing, Kershaw’s return offered a moment of reflection, both for fans and the future Hall of Famer himself. “You get a little bit older, you just learn to appreciate that more,” he said. “It was different.”
Manager Dave Roberts echoed the sentiment but remained optimistic. “The velocity was better than it’s been in a while,” Roberts said. “But the command wasn’t consistent. He had guys with two strikes and couldn’t put them away — that’s typically his calling card.”
The game spiraled into chaos from there. The Dodgers took their first lead in the sixth inning, but the Angels answered with a five-run seventh, highlighted by O’Hoppe’s 10th homer of the season — giving him a career-high five RBIs in the game. Los Angeles ultimately dropped the game 11-9, with their pitching staff struggling to hold off the Halos’ attack.
Still, there were bright spots offensively. Freddie Freeman continued his torrid May, going 4-for-5 to raise his average to .375. Pages, Hernández, and Dalton Rushing each tallied multiple hits in a game where both bullpens were taxed.
As Kershaw climbs toward 3,000 career strikeouts — he’s just 30 away — the Dodgers know his road back will be gradual. But with injuries still plaguing their rotation, his return, no matter how uneven, is a welcome sight. And for Pages, Saturday was another signal that the Dodgers may have found their next clutch performer.
