LOS ANGELES — My family had a small party on the day Clayton Kershaw made his successful major league debut on May 25, 2008. It wasn’t for the exciting rookie left-hander with the killer curveball, exactly. It was for my kid; she turned 1.
She’s since graduated from high school and started college. She’ll be voting in an election for the first time soon. She’s grown up in Los Angeles, where, for her whole childhood, Kershaw was one of the city’s most celebrated figures.
For most of the past 18 years, Kershaw has been the Dodgers’ ace, a leading protagonist in an especially prolific period of winning, the Dodgers securing two World Series titles and making the playoffs a dozen times.
The 2014 National League MVP, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, an 11-time All-Star.
Kid K grew up during his 18 years in L.A., too.
“We started out dating to married to four, 4½ kids later,” said Kershaw, 37, who announced Thursday that he plans to retire following this season. “We’ve all grown up here. It’s just been a special place.”
And for Kershaw, there was no other place. He’ll go down in history not just as one of only 20 pitchers to have registered 3,000 strikeouts, but as one of only three who did it as a member of the same team.
That might never happen again, so special seems like an severe understatement.
“It’s definitely different,” said shortstop Mookie Betts, who was traded to the Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox ahead of the 2020 season. “I’d say virtually nobody plays with the same team for their whole career now, and so for him to do it and be a legend, that just shows who he is and what he means to the Dodgers.
“Other teams kind of let generational talents like that [and] money or something kind of gets in the way. But nothing ever happened. It’s kudos to him and the front office here, they’re always on the same page and always wanted to win, and he did it right.”
He did it with bite, with verve, with Texas swagger. Serious and excellent and ours.
He pitched a no-hitter that should have been a perfect game at home on June 18, 2014.
He registered his 3,000th strikeout at home on July 2.
And after owning playoff failures, in 2020 in his home state of Texas, Kershaw was marvelous in the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series run. He won four playoff games, including two in the World Series, where he posted an ERA 2.31.
From L.A., socially distanced Dodgers fans tuned in to see Kershaw emerge from the bullpen when the title was clinched, lift his arms and look skyward, smiling a champion’s smile at last.
“His heart has always been here,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “With this city, with this organization. And I do know, in speaking to him, how important that has been to him, to be a mainstay, to have played for one team.”
And to have played such a leading role, all eyes on him always.
“The run of success the Dodgers have had since 2012, when it started to really, really get going around here, he’s been a part of every single thing,” Freeman said. “I can’t believe he’s going. In my opinion, he can still keep going. But we understand; 18 years is a lot. A lot of bullets he’s thrown in that left arm.”
Dodger fans will get to thank Kershaw, the first-ballot Hall of Famer-to-be, for the memories themselves in his final regular-season start at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. He could still make curtain calls again during the playoffs, Roberts said: “I still feel there is a role for him, a spot for him” in the club’s deep playoff pitching rotation.
Because Kershaw is going out – “I’m going to call it,” he said – like fine wine, with a Kobe-esque punctuation to a legendary career.
A bit like Bryant capping his illustrious Lakers career with a 60-point final game in 2016, Kershaw’s final big league tour has been excellent. He didn’t make his first start until May, but since he’s gone 10-2 with a 3.53 ERA in 20 starts.
“I anticipate pitching good [Friday],” Kershaw said, with a chuckle. “This game matters for both teams. Everybody’s still in it. We’ve got to win these games. … It’ll be heightened, I’m sure, but I’ve got a job to do, so I need to go out there and do my job and thankfully I’ll have that to distract me, I’m sure.”
L.A. will be behind Kershaw, a 222-game winner entering Friday, as he goes out and tries to win his 118th game at Dodger Stadium. Home sweet home for 18 eventful years of changes, challenges and at least two championships.
“I love being here,” said Kershaw, tears wetting his cheeks as he addressed teammates and reporters – and in the front row, ushered in by Freddie Freeman, wife Ellen Kershaw, and their four children.
“I wouldn’t change that for anything,” Clayton said.