Game 1 Series starter Clayton Kershaw chasing his first ring 

BOSTON — Of all that Clayton Kershaw has accomplished in his Hall of Fame-track career, there are two notable exceptions that make almost any player’s bucket list: pitching at Fenway Park, and winning the World Series.

The first, Kershaw will cross off Tuesday night, when he gets the ball for the Dodgers against the Red Sox in Game 1 of the Fall Classic. The second, well, he hopes that happens in the days to come.

Kershaw and the Dodgers came close last year, falling to the Astros in seven games, the franchise’s first World Series appearance since its 1988 title.

“Good experience,” Kershaw said before correcting himself. “Not a good experience, but experience.

“It’s good that we’ve been there. I think for our team to get to come back after last year and get a taste of it, what it was like last year and going to seven games, playing the full seven and coming that close. I think the experience can help a little bit as far as what to expect.”

Of all the Dodgers have accomplished in recent years— six straight NL West titles, three consecutive NLCS appearances, back-to-back pennants — all that’s missing is a championship, a ring, a new banner to hang from the façade of an upper deck at Dodger Stadium.

Kershaw is no different than anybody else on the Dodgers or Red Sox in that he wants to win it all, he said. Of course he does. Every year, every team shows up to spring training with the same cliché goal. Everybody means it, but few have a real shot.

For the Dodgers, it’s different. The grand aspirations have been genuine — realistic — during his era of immense organizational success.

“We’re a little bit spoiled in our expectations every year with the Dodgers, which is a great thing,” Kershaw said. “For us, when we say it, we really mean it. When we go to the postseason six times in a row, it becomes that much more evident that we’re very fortunate to be on a great team, but we’re still missing that ring. There’s no secret that we want to win.”

This series will be different than most during that span for one reason: The Dodgers are underdogs. They won only 92 games this season; the Red Sox, a franchise-record 108. The Dodgers eked past the Brewers in a seven-game NLCS; the Red Sox rolled over the defending champion Astros in five. The Dodgers’ payroll is down to a still very high $194.5 million, fourth in the majors; the Red Sox lead everybody at $238 million.

“It is kind of a role reversal for us,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s the high-payroll, high-powered Red Sox. That’s a good thing for us. I like the underdog role. I do know that everyone in our clubhouse doesn’t see it as icing on the cake. It’s been our goal since last year to win the World Series. It’s a good club over there. But we still like our guys and it’s going to be a good one. We’re going to give it everything we have.”

Come first pitch Tuesday, payroll and history and hype won’t matter — nor will, if you believe Kershaw, most of the other variables in play.

He doesn’t think much about Fenway Park’s odd configuration, or the dimensions of any ballpark for that matter, he said. His one-inning appearance to finish Game 7 Saturday night didn’t challenge his routine in a significant way. Pitching against Chris Sale, the Red Sox’s lefthander, will be fun, but hey, at least Kershaw doesn’t have to bat against him, he said. And the iffy forecast — high 40s and a chance of rain — won’t matter once he gets on the mound.

“Pitching in the World Series, you’re pitching on adrenaline all through October anyway,” Kershaw said. “Everybody’s probably feeling fine right now.”