Phillies set to face Clayton Kershaw in rubber match of Dodgers series

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 18: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch in the bottom of the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 18, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 18: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch in the bottom of the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 18, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

One of the best pitchers of his generation will face the Phillies on Thursday

Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to return from the disabled list on Thursday and pitch the final game of a four-game series against the Phillies.

Kershaw has missed nearly a month since being diagnosed with a left bicep strain on May 6. A three-time Cy Young award winner, Kershaw will be making just his eighth start of the season coming off a year he led the league with 18 wins.

A seven-time All-Star, Kershaw is 1-4 this year with a 2.86 ERA for the skidding Dodgers. He’s certainly a shot in the arm for their rotation, which as 23 quality starts this year, just one game above the league average.

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Kershaw has mixed results versus Philadelphia in his tremendous Hall of Fame career with a 3-5 record and a 3.16 ERA in 12 starts. In 2015 he threw a complete game shutout with 13 strikeouts, but lasted just six innings last year allowing four runs in a loss.

He’s made four playoff appearances against Philadelphia, only one start, in the 2008 and 09 NLCS. Cliff Lee helped hand him a loss in 2009 in an 8-6 Phillies win on the road that included a five-run fifth inning for Philadelphia. Those runs came courtesy of a Carlos Ruiz three-run home run and a two-run double from Ryan Howard, the latter knocked Kershaw out of the game.

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Philadelphia is expected to start Aaron Nola is the battle of aces Thursday night, which should make for a tremendous game in Chavez Revine.

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