Three-time National League Cy Young Award winner, 11-time All-Star, 2014 NL MVP and two-time World Series champion Clayton Kershaw announced today that he will retire from the Los Angeles Dodgers as a player at the end of the 2025 season. He will make his final Dodger Stadium regular season start when the Dodgers host the San Francisco Giants on Friday evening.
Kershaw holds a career record of 222-96 with 15 shutouts, all figures ranking first among active Major Leaguers. His 2.54 ERA is the lowest of any pitcher in the Live Ball era (since 1920, minimum 100 starts), and his winning percentage tops all pitchers with at least 200 victories since 1900.
On July 2 of this year, Kershaw became the 20th player and fourth left-hander in MLB history to reach 3,000 strikeouts (now 3,039). Drafted with the No. 7 overall pick in 2006, the 37-year-old Dallas native made his MLB debut on May 25, 2008 and has pitched his entire 18-year Major League career with the Dodgers, tying with Zack Wheat and Bill Russell for the most years in franchise history.
In 2012, for his significant contributions to the game on and off the field through community involvement and philanthropy, Kershaw also won baseball’s Roberto Clemente Award.
“On behalf of the Dodgers, I congratulate Clayton on a fabulous career and thank him for the many moments he gave to Dodger fans and baseball fans everywhere, as well as for all of his profound charitable endeavors,” said Mark Walter, Owner and Chairman, Los Angeles Dodgers. “His is a truly legendary career, one that we know will lead to his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”
Kershaw’s role on the team’s potential postseason roster has yet to be determined. Considered a lock to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, he will be eligible for Cooperstown in 2031.
(Juan Dorado furnished most of the information provided in this report)