Dodgers’ return to Houston stirs feelings for some

HOUSTON — Seven years is a long time. But not long enough for some.

“I don’t like coming here,” Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw said when asked about the team’s latest visit to Minute Maid Park, site of three games during the 2017 World Series, including the pivotal Game 5 which he started.

Kershaw repeated the same sentence four more times when asked whether time had lessened the pain, softened the memories or helped him deal with the fact that the Astros had been exposed as perpetrators of a sign-stealing scheme.

“I don’t like coming here,” he repeated then referred to a display outside the stadium.

“I don’t like rolling up and seeing the 2017 ring in front of their stadium.”

The Dodgers have been back to Minute Maid Park three times now – for two games in an empty stadium during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, two more in front of limited crowds in 2021 and now three games in front of a packed stadium this weekend. With baseball adopting a balanced schedule (every team plays every other team in both leagues), they will be visiting every other season now.

“I probably don’t do a good job of dealing with things that affect me, in general, long term,” Kershaw said. “So I think re-living some of this stuff – some people will say it’s healthy. It doesn’t help me. It doesn’t make me feel good to talk about it. It’s not like it’s life-altering – like something terrible with your family. I don’t want to put it in a category like that.

“As far as careers go, jobs go – this is a place I just don’t like.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said his feelings about the 2017 World Series have “softened over the last few years.”

“It certainly brings back some memories, not great memories,” he said of returning to Houston. “But it’s baseball. You can’t change it. I think just try to move forward.”

Kershaw is one of three players on the Dodgers’ current active roster who participated in the 2017 World Series. Kiké Hernandez and Austin Barnes were also part of that team. So was Chris Taylor who is on the injured list and did not make this trip.

Their feelings are markedly different than what Kershaw expressed.

“I’ve already played a playoff series here since then,” said Hernandez, who went 10 for 26 with three home runs for the Boston Red Sox when they lost the 2021 American League Championship Series against the Astros in six games. “I don’t give a (expletive) about that anymore. That was seven years ago. I played for one of the guys (Red Sox manager Alex Cora). I played with guys that were on that team. I don’t care.

“It’s (expletive) over.”

Barnes listened to Hernandez’s answer, smiling at the passion, then endorsed the feeling.

“It’s in the past,” Barnes said. “What are you going to do? There’s no point in holding on to it.”