Clayton Kershaw probably didn’t wake up planning to declare the 2017 Houston Astros this week. However, when asked who the best 1-2 hitting duo was, there was a funny thought.

“I’m trying to think of the teams I’ve played against,” Kershaw told The Athletic’s Jayson Stark. “Just like the best teams. I mean, lead-wise, (Jose) Altuve and (Alex) Bregman were good (in Houston). But they cheated, so it’s not really the same.”

Needless to say, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman don’t have the talent that Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts have.

The sign-stealing Astros embarrassed Kershaw, perhaps the greatest pitcher of the generation, in Game 5 of the 2017 World Series. Houston ran the veteran left-hander off the mound by scoring six runs in the fifth inning.

The Astros would win Game 5 by a final score of 13-12 at Minute Maid Park. History would be tarnished if the Astros won the Fall Classic in seven games.

After an investigation by the commissioner’s office, it was revealed that Houston used a trash-talking scheme to seal their fate in October. It was a nightmare for Kershaw and it is clear he has not forgotten what could have happened.

Kershaw likely would have been the 2017 World Series Most Valuable Player, but he was yanked after his performance in Game 5. According to Evan Gattis, the team knew which pitches Kershaw was going to throw in Game 5 at Minute Maid Park.

Houston’s lineup was swinging and didn’t miss on a single breaking ball from Kershaw. In 2019, MLB determined that the Astros had stolen electronic signs during the 2017 season, but the damage had already been done to Kershaw and the Dodgers’ reputations.

To make matters worse, no player from the 2017 Houston Astros was ever suspended and the team retained their championship trophy.

Flash forward to 2024, the Dodgers are one game away from the World Series. It’s so close that fans can practically taste it.

The Dodgers will play their final game at Citi Field on Friday with Jack Flaherty on the mound. The team from Los Angeles has the opportunity to close the NLCS on Friday evening in New York.

While Kershaw won’t take the mound for the Dodgers at any point in the 2024 postseason, the veteran left-hander will obviously earn a World Series ring if LA wins it all.

He also announced that he will return in 2025.

Read more: Clayton Kershaw reveals whether or not he will test free agency this offseason

Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Are you subscribed to our YouTube channel yet? Subscribe and hit the notification bell to stay up to date on the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, livestreams and more!