Preview: Dodgers at Nationals

[October 07, 2016]  Everybody agrees that Clayton Kershaw is one of the top pitchers in baseball but his postseason history hasn't come close to matching his regular season success. The left-hander gets another opportunity to alter his October reputation when the Los Angeles Dodgers open the National League Division Series against the host Washington Nationals on Friday.

Kershaw, a three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, is 2-6 with a 4.59 ERA in 13 career postseason appearances (10 starts) and bristles at the notion that he is an underachiever on baseball's big stage. "Nobody talks about the success I've had in the postseason," Kershaw told reporters. "That's fine. Ultimately, what it comes down to is if we win the World Series, everybody will stop saying everything, good or bad. That mindset is what I have to think about." Washington counters with Max Scherzer and the right-hander - a candidate to win his second Cy Young award - has experienced mixed results in the playoffs by going 4-3 with a 3.73 ERA in 12 career appearances (10 starts). Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy (strained buttocks muscle) said he expects to be in the starting lineup and manager Dusty Baker said he thought the 2015 playoff hero looked good during Thursday's workout.

TV: 5:38 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (12-4, 1.69 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (20-7, 2.96)

Kershaw has thrived against Washington with a 10-2 mark and 2.02 ERA in 14 career appearances (13 starts), including a victory June 20 when he gave up one run and six hits over seven innings. The left-handed hitting Murphy smacked two homers off Kershaw in last season's NLDS as a member of the New York Mets. Kershaw missed more than two months with back issues but finished the season strong by compiling an 0.72 ERA over his last four starts.

Scherzer didn't face the Dodgers this season and is 2-4 with a 3.29 ERA in 10 career appearances (eight starts) against Los Angeles. The 32-year-old won his past eight decisions and aims to carry his regular-season success into the postseason when he faces Kershaw. "It's what you play this game for. You don't measure yourself against the worst; you measure yourself against the best," Scherzer said at Thursday's press conference. "And I think this is best opponent I could possibly face with the Dodgers and Kershaw throwing."

WALK-OFFS

1. The Dodgers went 5-1 against the Nationals in the regular season.

2. Los Angeles 3B Justin Turner hit 24 of his career-best 27 homers after the start of June.

3. Slumping Washington RF Bryce Harper, who homered once in his final 27 contests, is 1-for-15 with 10 strikeouts against Kershaw.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Nationals 2

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