There’s been quite the journey for Clayton Kershaw, hasn’t there? When the left-hander first stepped onto a major league mound back in 2008 as a skinny 20-year-old drafted seventh overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers, nobody could have imagined the remarkable career that would unfold over the next 18 seasons. Now, as he walks away from the game after winning his third World Series title in the last six seasons, Kershaw leaves behind a legacy that cements him as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.
His stats tell a staggering story of dominance. Over his 18-year career, Kershaw compiled a 223-96 record with a microscopic 2.53 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. His .699 winning percentage stands as the best in MLB history since the 1947 season began with at least 200 wins. The three-time Cy Young Award winner (2011, 2013, 2014) also captured the 2014 National League MVP Award, becoming the first pitcher in 46 years to win the honor. He made 11 All-Star teams and won five ERA titles, becoming just the third player in history to lead the major leagues in ERA in three consecutive years.
Perhaps even more impressive than the raw numbers is Kershaw’s sustained excellence. From 2011 to 2015, he was simply untouchable, posting a 2.11 ERA across 1,128 innings and earning more WAR than any other pitcher during that stretch. His 2014 season might have been the pinnacle: a 21-3 record with a 1.77 ERA, leading the National League in virtually every meaningful category. He struck out 3,052 batters in his career, joining an exclusive club of just 20 pitchers to reach 3,000 strikeouts, and becoming only the fourth left-hander to accomplish the feat.
But the ending to Kershaw’s story is what makes it truly special. After years of postseason disappointment and questions about his October legacy, the Dodgers finally captured their first World Series ring since 1988 in 2020. Vindicating one of the game’s greatest regular season pitchers. Then came 2024, when the Dodgers won it all again. And now, in 2025, Kershaw went out on top with back-to-back championships, becoming the first pitcher on a repeat championship team since the Yankees’ three-peat from 1998-2000.
The way his final championship unfolded couldn’t have been more dramatic. In Game 7 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Kershaw was warming up in the bullpen when Alejandro Kirk hit into a game-ending double play in the 11th inning. Kershaw had lost track of the outs and thought the game was tied. When he hit the double play, I thought the run scored and it was tied. I had no idea. I thought I had the next batter, Kershaw said, laughing. It was bullpen catcher Josh Bard who had to tell him they’d just won the World Series. Though his role in the 2025 postseason was limited, Kershaw delivered when it mattered most, getting the final out in the 12th inning of Game 3 with the bases loaded to preserve a tie in what became an 18-inning classic.
During the championship celebration, an emotional Kershaw reflected on the perfect ending. I can’t imagine a better way to go out, he said after Game 7. I will be able to say for the rest of my life that we won Game 7 of the World Series, the last game I ever played. You can’t script that. You can’t write it up.
Beyond his individual accomplishments, Kershaw’s career represents something increasingly rare in modern sports: unwavering loyalty to a single franchise. In an era defined by player movement and massive free agent contracts, Kershaw spent all 18 seasons in Dodger blue. He was drafted by Los Angeles in 2006, made his debut in 2008, and never wore another uniform . I wouldn’t change that for anything, Kershaw said about spending his entire career with the Dodgers. He became just one of three pitchers to record 3,000+ strikeouts with a single franchise. At the 2024 championship celebration, Kershaw emotionally declared himself a Dodger for life, and he backed it up by returning for one final season in 2025.
Even as his fastball velocity declined from the mid-90s in his prime to around 88-89 mph in his final season, Kershaw continued to be effective through sheer will and baseball intelligence. In his final regular season, he posted an 11-2 record with a 3.36 ERA over 23 starts, proving he could still compete even when he wasn’t throwing as hard. The Dodgers won 17 of the 23 games he started in 2025, a testament to his continued value even in the twilight of his career.
When five years pass and Kershaw becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame, there will be no debate. His 2.53 career ERA is the lowest of any pitcher in the live-ball era since 1920. His three Cy Young Awards, MVP Award, 11 All-Star selections, five ERA titles, and three World Series championships paint the picture of one of the best pitchers in baseball history. Arguments can even be made that he is one of the top five left-handers of all time.
At Monday’s championship parade in Los Angeles, a shirtless Kershaw with his championship T-shirt sleeves already cut off struggled to hold back tears as We Are Young, his entrance song, blasted through Dodger Stadium speakers one final time. I told Freddie [Freeman] I’m gonna try not to cry today, but I don’t know if that’s going to work, he said to a crowd of more than 50,000 fans. It was a fitting image for a player who gave everything to one city, one franchise, and one fanbase for nearly two decades.
Here’s the thing, folks: As Kershaw rides off into the sunset with back-to-back championships, his legacy extends far beyond the statistics. He defined an era of Dodgers baseball, was a role model in the Los Angeles community through his charitable foundation, and showed that loyalty and greatness can coexist in modern sports. The Dodgers have already offered him a role within the organization, though Kershaw has said his first priority is spending time with his family and fifth child.
With that… For nearly two decades, Clayton Kershaw was the heartbeat of Dodger baseball. Every fifth day was his day. Every kid in Los Angeles who picked up a baseball wanted to throw a curve like his. In Los Angeles, legends don’t just get remembered — they get immortalized. And for generations of Dodgers fans, No. 22 already is.
If you cannot work with them, then root for them even after they retired!