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LOS ANGELES -- For Clayton Kershaw, his final starts of the regular season are played with an eye toward the impending postseason run, a balancing act between getting work in and saving strength for October.

Kershaw struck that balance on Saturday night, hurling five scoreless innings in a 7-0 win over the Giants at Dodger Stadium. It was Kershaw’s 210th career victory, moving him past Don Drysdale for sole possession of second on the Dodgers’ all-time wins list (behind Don Sutton’s 233).

It also ensured that the Dodgers will not have to play in the National League Wild Card round of the postseason, as they secured at least the second-best record in the NL.

Making his seventh start since returning from an IL stint necessitated by left shoulder inflammation, Kershaw was still working under limitations. Manager Dave Roberts said prior to the game that an “ideal” start would be around five innings and 75 pitches; Kershaw got it done with 76, striking out five while walking two and allowing two hits.

As was the case with his previous six outings, Kershaw’s four-seam velocity was down from his pre-IL run, averaging 88.7 mph (compared to 90.9 on the season) and maxing out at 89.7. In his younger years, the fastball averaged closer to 94 mph.

“At the end of the day, you just have to execute pitches, you know?” said Kershaw. “It's as simple as that, regardless of what your velocity is or how the stuff’s moving. So, obviously, you'd like to be at your peak, but to be able to put pitches where you want to and execute your offspeed pitches, ultimately, you can get guys out that way.”

Part of how Kershaw did that on Saturday was by learning heavily on his slider, which he threw for 46 percent of his pitches. Six of his eight whiffs came on sliders, as did 11 of the 18 outs he recorded -- including Austin Slater’s lineout to end the top of the fifth, on which left fielder David Peralta made an outstanding catch to help Kershaw escape a second-and-third jam.

While Kershaw showed his outfielder some appreciation, the sellout Dodger Stadium crowd in turn showed their appreciation to the left-hander, giving him a standing ovation as he walked off the field. There’s a chance it could have been his final regular-season start in L.A. as a Dodger, although that’s not a decision he’s ready to make just yet.

“It's always special to get to pitch here,” said Kershaw. “And thankfully, we're in the playoffs and it's a nice distraction, because we don't really have to think about next year or anything like that. But whenever it could be your last one, you maybe take a second extra.”

A three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, 10-time All-Star and the 2014 NL MVP, there’s plenty to admire about what Kershaw has accomplished throughout his likely Hall of Fame career. But those around him can’t help but praise what he’s doing right now. Kershaw is still experiencing issues with his shoulder, which he’s elected to pitch through, working in additional days of rest where possible -- a major change of pace for the rigorously routine-oriented ace.

Although he hasn’t gone more than five innings in his past seven starts, the results have been there, as he has a 2.03 ERA in that span, with one more regular-season start remaining. It’s a good sign for the Dodgers, who plan to use Kershaw to start either Game 1 or 2 of the NLDS.

“It's just remarkable, it really is,” said Roberts. “I think that Clayton is the first to tell you he doesn't like to use anything as an excuse or talk about anything. But I know what's going on. I just have so much respect for him. And people can't do what he can do. … He just sort of wills himself to get guys out.”

Roberts admitted that, for several years now, the season’s waning days have stirred thoughts about whether we’re nearing the last time seeing Kershaw in a Dodger uniform. But there’s still a lot left to be done before the time comes to focus on that. And whatever does come next for Kershaw, those around him certainly aren’t taking what he’s done -- and what he continues to do -- for granted.

“I'm not going to get caught not appreciating what he’s done for the Dodgers,” said Roberts.

The downside of having an off day after a loss is there is more time to stew in the misery, especially after one of the worst playoff losses in franchise history.

On the Dodgers insisting that Clayton Kershaw is healthy after his six-run, one-out start in Game 1, and that the left-hander would start again in Game 4, Dylan Hernández offered this at the Los Angeles Times:

The plan to run out Kershaw again is less about the Dodgers’ belief in him and more about the team’s lack of alternatives.

What other choices do the Dodgers have?

On the dormant Dodgers offense in Game 1, Bill Shaikin at the LA Times wrote, “The 2023 Dodgers win with their bats, not with their arms, but the first night of the 2023 postseason bore an all-too-uncomfortable resemblance to their all-too-brief appearance in the 2022 postseason.”

It was a mostly quiet Sunday on the off day between games at Dodger Stadium. Manager Dave Roberts did say he’d aggressively use his high-leverage relievers after none of them pitched in Game 1. From Fabian Ardaya’s summary of Sunday at The Athletic: “I’m going to manage Game 2 like it’s Game 7. And I’m going to do the same thing for Game 3. And I do think that that’s kind of how the fallout will be.”

Caleb Ferguson talked with David Laurila at FanGraphs about how he’s not too into statistics or analytics, but praised how the Dodgers coaching staff disseminates as much or as little information as players want:

“A lot goes into who the manager lets you face,” explained Ferguson. “Doc [Dave Roberts], as well as everybody involved in the decision-making, is really good at putting us into the right spots. That’s why all of the guys in our bullpen have so much success. We’re not going to face hitters we don’t match up well against, or be asked to do something we don’t normally do.”

Another season is over early, and one of the top storylines of the winter is what’s next for Clayton Kershaw.

His 16th season was interrupted in July by a shoulder injury that was officially listed as inflammation but was clearly much more. Kershaw missed six weeks, and upon his return saw his velocity and command wane. That culminated in the worst start of his career, when he allowed six runs and recorded one out in Game 1, setting the tone for a series in which the Dodgers never led.

Kershaw was planning to start Game 4 on Thursday had there been one. Dave Roberts said so Saturday in Los Angeles and reiterated every single day since that Kershaw was going to get the ball on four days rest for the first time since May. Though by not using Ryan Pepiot in Game 3, in which starter Lance Lynn only recorded eight outs, Roberts was at least hedging his bet.

Nothing was said, from what I’ve seen, regarding Pepiot’s non-usage from Roberts’ postgame session in the interview room at Chase Field. The overriding theme was one of disappointment, in another Dodgers season ending far earlier than expected.

There was a similar tone from Kershaw in the clubhouse, a frustration at his performance plus the always-jarring sudden end to a long season after preparing each day to compete.

"Obviously, it's just a disappointing end." Clayton Kershaw speaks on his emotions after tonight's loss. pic.twitter.com/t1DcYaufxA

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) October 12, 2023

“Obviously you’re focused on pitching and getting ready to face the guys again. The mental let down of knowing you’re done for the season,” Kershaw told reporters, per SportsNet LA. “You know, there will be a physical let down, too. Your body will let you know the season is over. It’s all stuff that’s no fun unless you win the last game.”

Kershaw will be a free agent the day after the World Series ends, his third straight offseason heading into free agency, content to make his plans on a year-to-year basis.

The usual choices are on the table for the left-hander who will turn 36 years old in March — return to the Dodgers, the only professional organization he’s ever known, sign with the Rangers to pitch for the team he grew up rooting for and with home games a short drive from his house, or retirement to spend more time with his family and finally let his body rest after 10 consecutive seasons with at least one injured list stint.

Last offseason’s decision came fairly quickly, only five days into free agency, though Kershaw’s one-year, $20-million contract was not finalized until December 5.

This year, though, Kershaw plans to take his time. From Andy McCullough at The Athletic:

A year ago, after the 111-win Dodgers crashed out early in the postseason, Kershaw opted to come back to Los Angeles after only a few days of discussion with his wife Ellen. This year, he told The Athletic on Wednesday, he will take longer to decide. He is considering undergoing an additional examination on his left shoulder, which he injured in late June. The shoulder condition, which Kershaw has declined to specify, led to reduced fastball velocity and diminished command in the final months of the season. He indicated he was unlikely to engage in serious contemplation about his future for several weeks.

Ever since he returned from the injured list in August, there was a vibe that just felt different. Kershaw after his first start back mentioned how he didn’t take for granted the opportunity to pitch, a sentiment he repeated over the last two months.

Because of the shoulder injury, I think retirement is likelier than it’s ever been for Kershaw.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — No major moves materialized for the Dodgers at this week’s general manager meetings.

But, over three days at the Omni Scottsdale Resort just outside of Phoenix, groundwork was laid for what is expected to be a busy offseason for the team.

As expected, the Dodgers will be in on the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes. They are looking for at least a couple starting pitching additions. And they’re taking stock of other ways to improve the team following a 100-win season but a sweep in the National League Division Series.

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Coming out of the general manager meetings, here are five takeaways on where their offseason stands.

The Dodgers have needed starting pitching in past offseasons.

However, in Andrew Friedman’s tenure as president of baseball operations, they’ve never entered a winter coming off the kind of rotation struggles they endured this past year.

After leading the majors in rotation ERA each of the previous four years (and ranking top-five in the four seasons before that), the Dodgers slipped to 20th in that category with a 4.57 ERA in the regular season, then watched their starting pitching implode in a three-game sweep against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the playoffs.

Dodgers

Nov. 8, 2023

Because of that regression, Friedman acknowledged that the club needs to be more aggressive in its pitching pursuits this winter — signaling a potential shift in strategy after the Dodgers settled for lower-cost alternatives Tyler Anderson, Andrew Heaney and Noah Syndergaard the past couple offseasons.

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“It’s reasonable to say that [our aggression level in the pitching market] would be more than what it has been when we come off years of top production,” Friedman said.

General manager Brandon Gomes echoed that sentiment.

“Right now, [we’re focused on] adding a starting pitcher or two,” he said, “and making sure that we are striking the balance of depth and keeping a high-end top tier of pitchers.”

There should be plenty of targets to pursue.

Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, Jordan Montgomery, Sonny Gray and Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto will headline the free agency class. Corbin Burnes, Tyler Glasnow and Dylan Cease are all established aces who could potentially be traded by their current teams.

Any of them would immediately upgrade a Dodgers rotation currently expected to include Walker Buehler (in his return from a second Tommy John surgery), Bobby Miller (who will be entering his first full-length MLB season) and a couple other younger arms such as Ryan Pepiot, Emmet Sheehan or Gavin Stone.

Such an addition would also represent the Dodgers’ biggest offseason pitching acquisition since their infamous signing of Trevor Bauer three years ago.

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Of course, a move of that caliber wouldn’t come cheaply (Snell and Yamamoto could command more than $200 million, while any trade would require significant prospect capital in return). In recent years, the Dodgers have often bypassed pitchers requiring such lofty prices.

Then again, the team hasn’t encountered rotation woes as pronounced as this past year either, seemingly leaving them no choice but to be more aggressive in the pitching market this winter.

One pitcher who won’t be able to help the Dodgers right away in 2024: Clayton Kershaw, who intends to continue his Hall of Fame career next season but will miss much of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery last week.

Despite that newfound uncertainty, Friedman said the Dodgers are still hopeful that Kershaw will return to L.A. for a 17th season next year. The pitcher is also expected to consider a jump to his hometown Texas Rangers.

Dodgers

Nov. 3, 2023

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“We are very respectful of Clayton and [his wife] Ellen’s decision and are giving them the time and space to make the best decision for their family,” Friedman said. “But selfishly, we hope it’s for him to continue and finish his career in Dodger blue.”

Gomes reiterated that message, adding that the team wasn’t surprised by the 35-year-old’s decision to keep playing, even though it will require the first surgery of his career.

“He’s one of the greatest competitors I’ve ever seen,” Gomes said.

Despite missing all of this past year with a significant knee injury, Gavin Lux is in line to “take down a good amount” of playing time at shortstop next year, Gomes said Wednesday.

After struggling in his first couple years in the majors, then finding success at second base in 2022, Lux was supposed to succeed Trea Turner as the Dodgers’ starting shortstop last year — until he suffered a torn ACL and other ligament damage in his knee during a spring training game in February, knocking him out for the entire season.

As things stand now, the soon-to-be 26-year-old will assume a “similar” role next year, Gomes said, with the Dodgers remaining confident in Lux’s ability to handle the infield’s most demanding position. Gomes also noted that Miguel Rojas’ sure-handed glove gives the team a security blanket at the position as well.

“I think Gavin has done an amazing job of handling his rehab,” Gomes said. “We’ll bet on his makeup and desire to get back and perform at a very high level.”

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The rest of the Dodgers infield largely looks set, including Max Muncy penciled in at third base (despite his defensive struggles there last year) and Mookie Betts expected to spend significant time at second base again.

That leaves the corner outfield spots as the Dodgers’ biggest area of need in the lineup, especially with Jason Heyward, Kiké Hernández and David Peralta all hitting free agency.

Dodgers

Oct. 30, 2023

Heyward and Hernández are the likeliest candidates to be re-signed. Other options loom in free agency, including former All-Star slugger Teoscar Hernández, whom the Dodgers have shown early interest in, The Times’ Jorge Castillo reported.

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On Wednesday, Gomes threw a couple other names into the potential mix: Prospects Miguel Vargas and Michael Busch, both of whom are infielders by trade but have yet to stick at any one spot defensively.

“I think that it’s possible,” Gomes said of using Vargas and Busch in the outfield. “We’ll just see how the rest of it plays out and how they fit in. What they’ve done in the upper minors and their ability to move around the diamond is only beneficial.”

While Gomes said the Dodgers remain confident in Buehler’s ability to produce next season, the general manager said the team is “still talking about” whether the right-hander will be subject to an innings limit in his return to the mound.

“There’s a lot of different ways to go about making sure he’s in the best position possible for the stretch run,” Gomes said. “We’ll keep having conversations with him as we get closer to spring.”

The Dodgers are also optimistic of getting a bounce-back season from reliever Blake Treinen, after they picked up his $1-million club option last week. Treinen missed most of 2022 and all of last year with shoulder injuries, but is now a full-go and, the team hopes, will benefit from having a fully healthy offseason.

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“The last time he did that,” Gomes said of Treinen, referring to the reliever’s standout 2021 season, “he came in really strong and healthy and then went out and had a monster year.”

One pitcher who remains a ways from returning: Dustin May, who has yet to begin a throwing program after undergoing a season-ending flexor tendon repair surgery in his right throwing elbow in July.

PHOENIX -- The Dodgers always knew this offseason would be a big one for them. After being a bit more conservative in free agency last year and giving young players an opportunity to play more regularly in 2023, L.A. should have a decent idea of what it needs to address this time around.

What the Dodgers didn’t know, however, was that their offseason conversations would be starting this early after getting swept by the D-backs in the National League Division Series following the 4-2 loss in Game 3 on Wednesday at Chase Field.

How will losing in the NLDS in three of the last five seasons affect how the Dodgers view this offseason? Will there be any major changes? Those are all questions the organization will have to answer over the next few months before the squad takes the field at Camelback Ranch in February.

Was this the 'last dance' for Kershaw? Clayton Kershaw has been honest about deciding his future on a year-to-year basis. After the 2021 season, the left-hander took his time in figuring out whether or not he would return, but ultimately signed a one-year deal with the Dodgers in March. Last winter, after finishing the season healthy, Kershaw wasted no time in re-signing with Los Angeles, agreeing to another one-year deal in November.

This season, though, things are different. Kershaw limped to the finish line with a left shoulder injury that was always more serious than he was willing to admit. His performance took a hit, especially in a six-run, one-out start in Game 1 of the NLDS, which will go down as arguably the worst outing of his career.

To Kershaw’s credit, he battled through the injury and posted for the Dodgers to close out the regular season. But where will he land on whether or not he wants to keep playing in 2024? Kershaw wasn’t ready to hint one way or another following Wednesday's loss.

“I’m not sure,” Kershaw said, when asked how he will approach this winter. “Just obviously a horrible way to end it, personally. But that’s ultimately not important. It’s just how I didn’t help the team win the series. … Process it however best you can. I don’t even know what that means, really. But, yeah, just go from there.”

In the past, Kershaw has said his decision to keep playing would be centered around how healthy he finishes a season and if he’s still willing to be away from his family, who live in Texas, during parts of the season. There’s a lot of unknown, and only Kershaw knows the answer.

But it’ll ultimately come down to the Rangers, another year in L.A., or the retirement of arguably the best Dodgers pitcher of all time.

The starting rotation needs a lot of help. How do they get it? While the lack of offense played a big part in the Dodgers’ failure, the starting pitching never really gave the club a chance. Los Angeles' starting staff went just 4 2/3 innings in the three games, allowing 13 runs. That’s not going to fly if you want to win a World Series.

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Next season, the Dodgers’ rotation doesn’t look much better, at least right now. Walker Buehler is expected back, but he’s coming off a second Tommy John surgery. Tony Gonsolin (Tommy John surgery) and Dustin May (right flexor tendon surgery) will miss the entire season. Bobby Miller should take another step forward. Ryan Pepiot, Emmet Sheehan and Gavin Stone will also be in the mix. Julio Urías was headed for free agency before being put on administrative leave in September following domestic violence charges. Kershaw’s future is unclear.

But is that enough? How do the Dodgers address those holes? Well, the free-agent market should be a strong one. Blake Snell, who will likely win his second Cy Young Award, headlines the class. He’ll, of course, be signing for more than $200 million. If the Dodgers want an ace, he’s the obvious answer.

Aaron Nola, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Eduardo Rodriguez, Sonny Gray and Jordan Montgomery are some of the other top free-agent options. As for trades, the Brewers' Corbin Burnes and the Rays' Tyler Glasnow might become available. The Dodgers are expected to be in the mix, and this time, they might not be able to afford to whiff on their top targets.

Where do they fit in the Ohtani sweepstakes? This winter will be the Shohei Ohtani offseason. And there’s no secret the Dodgers will be one of the biggest players to land the two-way superstar. Ohtani, though, won’t be able to pitch until the 2025 season after undergoing an unspecified right elbow surgery. Landing Ohtani would also mean the Dodgers can’t sign a designated hitter -- J.D. Martinez, for example -- to any sort of deal.

That won’t stop the Dodgers’ pursuit, as Ohtani is viewed by the organization as an elite player and an even better business chip. Whether or not they land him is one question. Whether signing Ohtani at the expense of addressing other issues actually makes the Dodgers a better team is another.

Those are all the things the Dodgers need to answer over the next few months as they try to decipher why there was more disappointment in October.

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Juan Toribio covers the Dodgers for MLB.com.