Major League Baseball announced its monthly award winners for April on Wednesday and the Los Angeles Dodgers are well represented. Clayton Kershaw and rookie James Outman took home NL Pitcher and Rookie of the Month awards, respectively.
It's just another accomplishment in a first-ballot Hall of Fame career for Kershaw. In six starts in April, he had a 1.89 ERA and registered five quality starts. He pitched six or more innings in every start and did not allow a run in two of them. The Dodgers are 5-1 when Kershaw takes the mound in 2023.
There was speculation during the offseason as to whether Kershaw was going to retire or possibly leave the Dodgers, the only team he's ever pitched for at the major league level. Instead, Kershaw decided to come back for at least one more year and the lefty has shown he is still one of the best pitchers in baseball.
As for Outman, this is the first of potentially many accolades for the 25-year-old outfielder. He hit .289 with 13 extra-base hits and 18 RBIs in 27 games in April. After making his debut last July, Outman has turned himself into an everyday player with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers are 18-13 and sit in a familiar place atop the NL West standings. They've had both the luxury of bringing in top players via trade and free agency while also producing home-grown talents such as Clayton Kershaw and James Outman. It must feel rewarding for not only the player(s) but the Dodgers organization when someone is handed one of these honors.
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