Clayton Kershaw to Retire After This Season
Clayton Kershaw, widely regarded as the best pitcher of the 21st century, is set to retire at the conclusion of this season. The Los Angeles Dodgers confirmed this announcement, marking his last start during the regular season at Dodger Stadium on Friday.
Kershaw made his Major League Baseball debut in 2008 after being selected as the seventh overall pick two years earlier. Since then, he has certainly exceeded all expectations placed upon him.
With a career ERA of 2.54, Kershaw stands out among pitchers who have thrown at least 1,000 innings since the live ball era began in 1920. Earlier this year, he also joined the exclusive group of pitchers with 3,000 career strikeouts, alongside winning at least three Cy Young Awards. Except for Roger Clemens, the other eligible pitchers in this group are already Hall of Famers.
He celebrated World Series victories in 2020 and 2024 and spent his entire 18-year career with the Dodgers. During this time, he led the National League in ERA five times, notably from 2011 to 2014. The 2014 season might have been his pinnacle, boasting a 1.77 ERA in six complete games, alongside a K/9 ratio of 10.8 and a WHIP of 0.86, which led MLB, ultimately earning him the MVP award. Remarkably, he remains the last starting pitcher to receive this honor.
Kershaw has only had five seasons with an ERA above 3.00; this year, it stands at 3.53. In addition to his three Cy Young Awards, he has ranked in the top 10 for the award six other times and was a finalist on three occasions. His accolades include being named an All-Star 11 times throughout his illustrious career, with a nod this summer from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.
Injuries have plagued Kershaw for a significant portion of the past decade, making it difficult for him to start 30 games since 2015. Yet, when he’s on the mound, he often looks like a timeless talent.
The Dodgers are well on their way to clinching the NL West title, and it looks like they’re eyeing another championship run.
