Kershaw, Boyd, Turang, Pagan Answered Call For NL Playoff Teams

Clayton Kershaw (left) sprays champagne on manager Dave Roberts after the Dodgers clinched the NL West title Thursday. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

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Clayton Kershaw puffed on a cigar as he watched his Los Angeles Dodgers’ teammates take turns on a makeshift slip-and-slide on the beverage-soaked floor of visitors’ clubhouse Thursday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers had just clinched their 12th NL West title in 13 seasons, and Kershaw played a key role, as he has in most of the Dodgers’ 14 division titles since his rookie year in 2008.

“Pitching is great and I love that, too, but getting to do this (celebrate) with a group of guys, all working for a collective goal, the camaraderie, that’s really special,” Kershaw said.

This time is different. Kershaw has announced that this is his final season, and while he is not on the Dodgers’ roster for the best-of-three wild card series against the Cincinnati that begins Tuesday in Los Angeles, they would not be there without him.

Kershaw was among the unexpected NL difference-makers who boosted their teams into the playoffs this season, a group that includes the Chicago Cubs’ Matthew Boyd, the Milwaukee Brewers’ Brice Turang, and the Reds’ Emilio Pagan.

Kershaw Steps Into the Breach

Season record: 10-2, 3.52 ERA

Salary: $7.5 million

Highlight: Recorded his 3,000th strikeout

Kershaw is a first ballot Hall of Famer with an ERA (2.54) that is lowest of any pitcher in the live-ball era (since 1920), but expectations were low (by his high standards) as he entered 2025 off toe and knee surgeries that kept him out for the first seven weeks.

When Kershaw arrived in May, he kept the Dodgers’ foundering rotation afloat after injuries to Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, the recovery from an elbow injury that kept Shohei Ohtani off the mound for four months, and the struggles of rookie Roki Sasaki.

After getting his feel back, Kershaw was 4-0 with a 1.57 ERA in five June starts. He finished the season by winning his last seven decisions, capped by 6-1 victory at Seattle in the regular-season finale in which he picked 5 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out seven.

If the Dodgers advance to the NLDS, Kershaw is expected to be added to the roster. While his role is uncertain, he is prepared for anything.

“We have six amazing starters,” Kershaw said after this first relief appearance since 2019 on Wednesday. “I can do the math. I want to be a part of it in any way. I’ll do whatever they want me to.”

Healthy Boyd Becomes the Cubs’ Ace

Season: 14-8, 3.21 ERA

Salary: $14.5 milion

Highlight: Career high in victories

The Cubs signed Boyd to a two-year, $29 free agent contract in December that includes a mutual option for 2027, a deal that provided one of he best ROI’s in the majors.

Boyd solidified the staff with an ace-like run after Justin Steele went out with a season-ending elbow injury in April. He had 11 wins by late July and did not allow more than four runs in any of his first 20 starts, 14 quality.

After undergoing flexor tendon surgery in 2021 and Tommy John surgery in 2023, Boyd was a season-saver in his first full year since 2019.

“One, it’s great to see a healthy Matt Boyd,” teammate Justin Turner said. “The perseverance of battling through injuries. The talent has always been there. To see him put it together and be an All-Star at age 34 and be one of the guys that we have relied on the most this season is really cool.

“He throws six pitches. He’s commanded the ball very well. And he’s one of the nicest guys in baseball. To have a guy who is that genuine and cares more about every single guy in this room that he does himself, to have a lot of good stuff happen to him is so awesome, because he deserves it all.”

Turang Adds Pop to Speed, Defense

Season: 18 homers, 81 RBIs, .794 OPS

Salary: $777,100

Highlight: Career highs in homers, RBIs

After stealing a career-high 50 bases in 2024, Turang added power and production to his Gold Glove-winning defense at second base.

No one was bigger than Turang during the Brewers’ 14-game August winning streak. He had six homers and 14 RBIs while hitting .340 with a 1.189 OPS in that run, and over a longer stretch he had 11 homers in 28 games to help propel the Crew to the best record in baseball.

The key: getting the ball in the air to his pull field, right. He led National League second basemen in RBIs this season and was the NL player of the month in August and

“I’ve always knew I had some pop,” Turang told the MLB Network. “It was just kind of tapping into it.”

Pagan Steps Into High-Leverage Role

Season: 2-4, 2.88, 32 saves, 0.92 WHIP

Salary: $8.2 million

Highlight: Career-high in saves

The Reds placed projected closer Alexis Diaz on the injured list to work through arm issues in the final days of spring training, leaving them searching for a high-leverage solution. Enter Pagan.

Pagan, 34, recorded his first save in the second game of the season and took off. He had 20 saves before the All-Star break and after a mini-hiccup in August converted his final six opportunities.

He pitched four games in a row last week and saved the first two games of the season-ending series at Milwaukee, where the Reds clinched on Sunday when the Mets lost.

His 32 saves were one short of his previous eight seasons combined.

“It’s been a fun ride,” Pagan said.