There is zero doubt that 30-year-old Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw is destined for Cooperstown … none whatsoever. I mean, he’s already won a National League MVP title, is a three-time Cy Young award winner, a seven-time All-Star, a pitching triple crown winner, a Gold Glove winner, and a former MLB Player of the Year.

But for as great as Clayton Kershaw is and has been throughout his 11-year MLB career, and even though he is still considered the best pitcher on the planet, through the first 19 games of the 2018 season, he is not the best starting pitcher in the Dodgers rotation.

That distinction – and to this point it isn’t even close – belongs to 31-year-old Incheon, South Korea native Hyun-Jin Ryu, who actually began the season as the Dodgers number five starter.

Through his first four starts, Ryu is 3-0 with a Kershaw-like 1.99 earned run average, whereas Kershaw himself is 1-3 with a (still outstanding) 2.45 ERA.

After his seven shutout innings of two-hit ball on Saturday night, Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu now has the best record (3-0) and lowest ERA (1.99) among all five Dodgers starters. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

But wait, there’s more.

In his combined 22.2 innings pitched through his first four starts, Ryu has struck out 27 and walked nine, for a 3.00 K/BB ratio. And while this does not come close to Kershaw’s 35 strikeouts and three walks for a ridiculous 11.67 K/BB in his 33.0 innings pitched, it ain’t bad. (Note: Fellow left-hander Alex Wood, currently owns the best K/BB ratio among the five Dodgers starters at an even more ridiculous 22.00).

On Saturday night before a nearly sold out Dodger Stadium crowd of 50,908, Ryu was as Clayton Kershaw-like as anyone not named Clayton Kershaw could be. Through his 7.0 innings of work, the now 100 percent healthy 6′-3″ / 250-pound lefty allowed zero runs and only two hits to an extremely dangerous Washington Nationals line-up, while striking out eight and walking three.

To be fair, Kershaw has received very little run support from his teammates thus far this season and could very easily be 2-2 or even 3-1 had he received some. In contrast and aside from his absolutely brilliant pitching performance on Saturday, Ryu was the benefactor of what is hoped to be an awakening of thus far ice cold bats from his teammates.

On his 26th birthday and in his 40th plate appearance of 2018, Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson finally slugged his first home run of the season – a 422-foot solo blast to right center field – to give the Dodger an early 1-0 lead. As it turned out, that would be the only run that Messrs. Ryu, Tony Cingrani and Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen would need to even the series with the Nationals at one game apiece.

However, and for good measure, pinch-hitter Kiké Hernandez (for Ryu) also slugged a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Dodgers a little breathing room.

But the big blast, which took the wind completely out of the Nationals’ sail, was a monster two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning by Dodgers first baseman and 2017 NL Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger that landed halfway up the Right Field Pavilion – on his bobblehead night, no less – to make it a 4-0 ballgame and the eventual final score.

Speaking of Kenley Jansen, who was called in to close out Saturday’s game even though it was not a save situation with a four-run lead and the guy who many (most) consider the best closer in the game today, gave every indication that he is back to being… well… the best closer in the game today.

As most Dodger fans know, the 6′-5″ / 275-pound Willemstad, Curacao native has been consistently well below his normal 94-97-MPH with his devastating cut fastball; a condition that led to losing a game, blowing two saves, and giving up three home runs thus far this season (he blew only one save and gave up five home runs all of last season). And while the extremely popular Dodgers closer had maintained all along that he is 100 percent healthy and that his early struggles are (were) mechanical, it appears that he has fixed them – which is a very good thing.

“Tonight obviously was as good as we’ve seen him in quite some time,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the game. “The characteristics of the cutter seemed like from the side they were there, given how the swings were. Obviously the velocity was a few ticks up from where it’s been. He’s on a mission to get back.”

Interestingly, Jansen gave a slightly different reason for his success on Saturday night.

Welcome back, big guy.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

The Dodgers go for the series win on Sunday evening in a game that will be nationally televised on ESPN. The Dodgers will send left-hander Alex Wood (0-2 / 3.91 ERA) to the mound against Nationals right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (0-0 / 3.86 ERA). First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. PT.

Go Dodgers!