When the Los Angeles Dodgers took the field against the Pittsburgh Pirates for their first of three games in the Steel City, starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw was getting hammered.

With two outs and a man on in the fifth inning, the future Hall of Famer had already surrendered four runs on four hits in what was somehow a tied game, largely thanks to an offensive outburst by Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages. But it was a line drive drilled in the pitcher's direction that nearly cost him the game, with muscle memory saving Kershaw from a shot to the face.

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That 90-mile-per-hour fastball came flying off of Tommy Pham's bat and nearly cost Kershaw more than the base, but through quick thinking and a tight grip, the veteran pitcher instead left the inning without giving up any more runs, showing his handwork off to the umpire for good measure.

Now, unfortunately for Kershaw, his Houdini-level play won't result in another win on his resume, as the Dodgers gave up three more runs shortly thereafter in the sixth inning and had to turn to their bullpen to try to maintain their lead in the NL West. But for Kershaw, playing in his 18th season in Dodgers blue and white, this play showcased why the 37-year-old hasn't lost his step and remains a pivotal performer both on the mound and in the field, where he secured his own out and saved himself from an ugly stinger that could have landed him on IL with one injury or another.