The Los Angeles Dodgers have thrived in extra innings this season, but ace Clayton Kershaw apparently isn’t a fan of Major League Baseball’s new rules for the bonus frames.
“It’s not real baseball,” Kershaw told reporters Wednesday after the Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 in 10 innings. “But it’s fine for this year, and I hope we never do it again.”
It was the second 10th-inning victory in as many nights for the Dodgers, who improved to 5-1 this season under the new extra-inning format — where each half-inning starts with a runner at second base.
The Dodgers overcame a shaky outing Wednesday by Kershaw, who allowed four runs (three earned) and had a season-low three strikeouts in five innings.
“It’s not real baseball. But it’s fine for this year, and I hope we never do it again.”
Clayton Kershaw, on MLB’s extra-inning changes
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters that, unlike Kershaw, he likes the new rules that MLB is experimenting with during the coronavirus-shortened regular season.
“I didn’t know how it was going to play out and how it was going to be received, but as we’ve had some runs with it, I really like it,” Roberts said. “I think it really shortens the game. It adds strategy for the fans, the managers, the players.
“I think it’s playing out pretty well, and our guys have done a really good job in the situation. I like it permanently. I don’t like it for the postseason.”
MLB announced in July that the new extra-innings rule would be in place only for the regular season, not the postseason.
The Dodgers own MLB’s best record at 32-12 and, with a 4½-game lead over the second-place Padres, are closing in on their eighth consecutive National League West title.
