LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw says he accepts the reasons he was given for not starting Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
Whether the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner agrees with them might be altogether different.
The Los Angeles Dodgers chose to go with Hyun-Jin Ryu in their series opener against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday. Kershaw is set to pitch Game 2 on Friday.
"I wouldn't really consider it a gut punch," Kershaw said Thursday in his first public comments on the topic.