Dodgers’ Yu Darvish impresses Clayton Kershaw on, off field

CHICAGO — When Yu Darvish joined the Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw had a bit of advice for him.

Stop thinking so much.

“I’m good at telling people to do that,” Kershaw said. “Not think.”

Kershaw explained that he had watched Darvish pitch and thought the right-hander was distracting himself with thoughts about things like his mechanics and arm slot during the game.

“I saw him kind of on the mound thinking about a release point and doing this with his arm (moving it around) and trying to feel it,” Kershaw said. “All that stuff was awesome in between starts. But it’s hard enough to get major-league hitters out when you’re not thinking about your mechanics.

“All I told him was those four days (between starts) you tinker. You work on whatever you need to do. But that fifth day you’re out there – your stuff is so good, just go compete. Just go get those guys out and we can look back the next day on the mechanical stuff. I don’t know if it’s helped or not. But he’s pitched really well.”

The Dodgers have encouraged Darvish to change a number of things since he joined them from Texas – his arm slot, the rhythm of his delivery and his pitch mix.

“Yeah – except his beautiful face. Is that what Yu said?” Kershaw joked, referring to Darvish’s answer at a press conference during the NL Division Series.

The changes seem to have taken hold and are working. Over his past five starts (including two in the postseason), Darvish has a 0.88 ERA, a 0.68 WHIP, 35 strikeouts and only two walks in 30-2/3 innings.

That has earned a healthy dose of respect from Kershaw.

“I can’t imagine coming to a new organization, in the middle of a pennant race and wanting to prove that you’re the pitcher we traded for,” Kershaw said. “And on the cusp of free agency, wanting to showcase your skills and at the same time wanting to tinker with things and change some things to make yourself even better. Yu’s been amazing about that.

“He’s been so open with guys, talking to them about stuff. He asks a lot of questions too which I thought was great. Somebody who was a superstar in Japan and has been an ace here, striking out the world for his whole career and to have that openness about asking questions and trying to figure things out – that’s a really cool trait to have for a guy that’s had as much success as he’s had.”

TRUE GUT

Roberts meets with his coaching staff and members of the front office before every game “and throw crazy scenarios out there … and you kind of go through it and look at their lineup and see every situation that might present itself.”

Well, not every situation. Roberts admitted that they never discussed calling back a pinch-hitter and letting the pitcher bat with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth inning of a two-run game – as Roberts did with Darvish in Game 3 on Tuesday.

“We didn’t get to that scenario,” Roberts said with a smile. “That was probably 99 percent gut.”

Roberts said he didn’t make the decision until after Joc Pederson had failed to get the runner in from third with less than two outs and pinch-hitter Curtis Granderson was already walking toward home plate.

Darvish drew a four-pitch walk to force in a run and got Roberts four more outs on the mound, pitching into the seventh inning.

SEAGER PROGRESS

Injured shortstop Corey Seager continues to progress in his recovery from a lower back sprain.

Roberts said Seager did some straight-line running and played catch as part of his workout in Los Angeles on Wednesday. He is expected to take swings Thursday for the first time since receiving an epidural injection to treat the injury and hit off a tee.

Roberts said the progress Seager has made over the past few days has made him more confident that Seager will be able to return and play in the World Series.

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