One of the classic pitching matchups of the last decade is on tap at Dodger Stadium Saturday night when Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for the home team while Madison Bumgarner does the same for the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the matchup is sure to bring out the best in both pitchers.

“I'll tell you, I think both those two guys going against one another brings out the best. Because they have a mutual respect and a friendship. So they always want to outdo one another. You're gonna see that come out tonight.”

The matchup between the two stud starting pitchers marks the 12th time they have met, but the first time since the 2018 season. Bumgarner's teams have a 6-5 edge in those meetings.

The numbers point out that Roberts is correct in his assessment of what happens when Kershaw and Bumgarner compete against each other.

Kershaw has a 1.91 earned run average in games against Bumgarner and he has fanned 87 batters in 80 innings. Bumgarner has a 2.60 ERA with 75 strike outs in 69.1 innings.

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Clayton Kershaw is coming off a 2022 season in which he went 12-3 with a 2.28 ERA with 137 strike outs in 126.1 innings. The Los Angeles left hander is a 3-time Cy Young Award winner, a 5-time winner of the ERA title and a 9-time National League All-Star.

Bumgarner, starting his 4th season with the Diamondbacks after 11 years with the San Francisco Giants, struggled quite a bit in 2022. He had a 7-15 record with a 4.88 ERA and 112 strike outs in 158.2 innings. He is a 4-time All-Star and a World Series MVP.

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