Clayton Kershaw is famous for how he pushes to prepare his body, but between being a mainstay, he managed to do no surgery in his first 15 major league seasons.
Now he has three steps in the past two seasons: shoulder, knee and toe. He doesn't just tell you that his toes were the most devilish. He will show you. Postoperative feet are sewn, discolored, enthusiastic, generally grotesque videos, and look more like a novel movie prop than one of the best pitchers ever.
Kershaw turned 37 in March. He has two, not one, but two, of the World Series rings, in which he placed himself to land through a physical and mental odyssey. He is inducted into the Hall of Fame. In other words, why does he push his body back anew to try and return to the mound?
He says his family is fine with that. His arm, removed for two years from shoulder surgery, felt very good, and “I really didn't want to stop.” Afterwards, Kershaw stared beyond the width of the star-laden Dodgers spring training clubhouse in Glendale, Arizona, and even to the locker area of Otani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, using his precious left hand to clean the room. All fingers that appear to be touching the galactic stars that form a record $400 million salary:
