Chicago Cubs: Is Clayton Kershaw poised to jump ship?

Chicago Cubs: How much does he have left?

Everyone who knows an inkling about baseball knows that Clayton Kershaw is and has been one of the most dominant starting pitchers since he arrived in the Show a decade ago. It is also no secret that Kershaw has been a thorn in the side of many teams, to including the Chicago Cubs. In 63 innings pitched, Kershaw carries a 2.57 ERA against the North Siders.

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In the last five seasons, Kershaw boasts a ridiculous 2.12 ERA across 916 1/3 innings. That accompanies a 30.4 percent strikeout rate and an insane 4.1 percent walk rate. Kershaw has averaged 10.5 strikeouts per nine during that stretch to go along with a 2.34 FIP and 2.45 xFIP, respectively.

The 2018 season, Kershaw’s age-30 season, was an up-and-down campaign where he saw a drop in his strikeouts, a small increase in his walks and increased ERA.

More importantly, Kershaw saw a third-straight season marred by injury. He finished with just 161 1/3 innings pitched. Across the previous three seasons, Kershaw averaged just 161 innings pitched – a troubling trend for the left-hander, especially if you’re talking about what he could get on the open market.