Photo Credit: Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers
Following Clayton Kershaw’s six innings pitched in game two of the National League Division Series versus the Washington Nationals, fans and analysts on social media began to question how the Nationals seemed to be so effective against the former NL MVP.
Is Trea Turner explaining how Clayton Kershaw may be tipping his pitches? pic.twitter.com/oOjsKBhpoi
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 5, 2019
Fabian Ardaya, Los Angeles Angels writer for The Athletic, posted this video on Twitter which shows Nationals shortstop, Trea Turner, explaining what appears to be a difference in pitch delivery to teammates Adam Eaton and Anthony Rendon. Turner had a pair of doubles hit off Kershaw in game two, amounting to a third of the Nationals’ total hits against him.
Clayton Kershaw was asked about possible pitch tipping. “I’m not sure,” he said. “I’ll check it out.”
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) October 5, 2019
When asked about the potential that he was tipping his pitches, Clayton Kershaw didn’t outright deny it as he did when he was questioned about something similar in 2014 against the Cardinals.
In Kershaw's post-game media session, he rejected theories about the heat, sign-stealing, pitch-tipping. Just credited the Cardinals.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 4, 2014
More information about this topic is sure to come in the next few days as the Dodgers look to see how they can prevent something like this from happening again in the near future. However, it’s safe to observe the possibility that Clayton Kershaw was in fact tipping his pitches in last night’s 4-2 loss to the Nationals.
Kershaw finished his outing after six innings, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four.
UPDATE (8:46 AM PT): Eduardo Perez of ESPN has said that the video of Trea Turner exampling a difference in pitch delivery in the dugout was actually an example of Pedro Baez’s stretch, not Clayton Kershaw’s. More to come…