Clayton Kershaw Talks Returning To Houston After Astros Cheating Scandal: 'I Don't Like Coming Here'

The Los Angeles Dodgers are back in Houston to play the Astros for the first time with a full stadium since 2017. The same 2017 season where the Astros infamously used an elaborate sign stealing system to gain an advantage over opposing teams.

The Astros' cheating claimed many victims, but maybe no individual player has more of a legitimate complaint than Clayton Kershaw. In 2017, Kershaw was at the height of his powers. He was coming off a 2016 where he put up an absurd 1.69 ERA. His ERA in 2017 "jumped" to 2.31, and his strikeout to walk rate remained among the best in baseball.

And in Game 1 of the 2017 World Series, he pitched like it. Kershaw went seven innings against the Astros, allowing just three hits and one run along with 11 strikeouts. Then the series moved back to Houston, where the Astros were able to use their sign stealing/trash can system. In Game 5, the Dodgers jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but Houston suddenly jumped on Kershaw, who eventually allowed six runs in 4.2 innings with just two strikeouts. 

It's good to know what's coming.

With the Dodgers back in Houston, Kershaw spoke to the media after Friday night's loss and said he doesn't like going to Minute Maid Park. In fact, he said he doesn't like it – a few times.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 07: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 07, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

"I don’t like coming here," Kershaw said about the Astros home stadium. He then repeated that sentence four times when asked whether time had helped heal the wounds from that series. 

"I don’t like coming here," he said, then mentioned that the Astros organization still proudly