One of the greatest pitchers of all time is nearing the finish line of a legendary career.
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Thursday that left-hander and three-time National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is retiring after the 2025 MLB season. Kershaw will make his last start of the regular season at home against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
“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,” Dodgers Owner and Chairman Mark Walter said in a statement. “His is a truly legendary career, one that we know will lead to his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”
Kershaw, who the Dodgers selected with the No. 7 pick in the 2006 MLB Draft, has spent his entire 18-year career with the franchise (2008-present). The southpaw led the NL in ERA five times, WHIP four times and WAR, strikeouts and wins three times apiece. He was part of the team’s 2020 World Series triumph and on its 2024 roster during the regular season but missed the World Series run due to a toe injury.
This season, Kershaw boasts a 3.53 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 71 strikeouts across 102.0 innings pitched (20 starts). He enters his final regular-season start with a career 2.54 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 77.6 wins above replacement across 452 appearances (449 starts).
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Kershaw, an 11-time All-Star, ranks first in Dodgers history in strikeouts (3,039) and WAR among pitchers (77.6), second in wins (222) and WHIP (1.02), fourth in innings pitched (2,844.2) and sixth in ERA (2.54). Furthermore, Kershaw, who has made 32 career postseason starts, won the 2014 NL MVP Award, making him the only pitcher since 1968 to win the prestigious NL honor; Bob Gibson won the 1968 NL MVP Award with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The 37-year-old Kershaw won the 2011, 2013 and 2014 NL Cy Young awards.
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