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MLB Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson blasted the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday after the team decided to pull pitcher Clayton Kershaw amid a perfect game bid.
Kershaw, in his season debut, was magnificent against the Minnesota Twins, as he struck out 13 batters and had a perfect game through seven innings. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the decision to remove Kershaw after 80 pitches at Target Field, which drew a reaction from Jackson on social media.
"Clayton Kershaw Perfect game 80 pitches, take him OUT !!!!! WHAT THE! what’s the game coming to? 1 of the era’s best, and you take him out with a perfect game in the 7th, 7-0 Dodgers winning," Jackson wrote on Twitter. "Take him OUT! THIS IS BASEBALL PLEASE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER PLAYED GET OUT OF ITS WAY."
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Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks to the dugout after recording a strikeout against Nick Gordon of the Minnesota Twins to end the sixth inning at Target Field April 13, 2022, in Minneapolis. (David Berding/Getty Images)
With just six outs left to go in the game, Roberts replaced Kershaw with reliever Alex Vesia to begin the eighth inning. Vesia gave up Minnesota's first and only hit of the contest, a single by Gary Sanchez. The hit eliminated any hope the team — and Kershaw — had of making history.
Sandy Koufax is the only pitcher in Dodgers history to throw a perfect game, which he did against the Chicago Cubs in 1965. With nearly 30,000 people in attendance for the game, Koufax stuck out 14 batters, and he didn't allow any player to reach base. The Dodgers won the game 1-0.
On Wednesday, Kershaw struck out every Twins batter at least once except for Gio Urshela, who grounded out and flied out his first two at-bats.
After Kershaw was pulled from the game, he was seen hugging teammates in the dugout.
The decision to pull Kershaw also drew a reaction from some fans in Minnesota hoping to see the rare feat. After Vesia was seen jogging out from the bullpen, one fan sitting behind the plate exclaimed, "He had a perfect game!"
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Kershaw, a three-time NL Cy Young Award winner who began his 15th year with the Dodgers, talked about the decision after the game, which the Dodgers won 7-0. Kershaw said he would have loved to keep pitching, but he called the decision to pull him "the right choice."
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw throws against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
"As much as I would have wanted to do it, I've thrown 75 pitches in a sim game," Kershaw told reporters. "I would have loved to stay, but bigger things.
"I knew going in my pitch count wasn't going to be 100 let alone 90. It's a hard thing to do, coming out of a game like that, but like I said, we're here to win, and this is the right choice."
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw heads to the dugout after the final out of the seventh inning of a game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Kershaw also placed blame on the MLB lockout, noting that he hadn't picked up a ball for three months during the offseason. He re-signed with the Dodgers this year after missing about two months in 2021 with inflammation in his left forearm.
"Every decision I make is for the best interest of the player, their health and the ballclub, because there's a lot of people that are cheering for the Dodgers, not only just for today and Clayton to throw a no-hitter, but for the Dodgers to win the World Series,'' Roberts said. "For us to do that, we need him healthy.''
The Dodgers' (3-2) next game is a home matchup against the Cincinnati Reds Thursday evening.
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Kershaw threw a no-hitter June 18, 2014, against the Colorado Rockies.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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