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Clayton Kershaw Said Emotional Goodbye to Dodger Stadium After Game 5 Loss

Is someone cutting onions?

Tim Capurso

Kershaw and his family enjoyed a moment on the field following his last game at Dodger Stadium as an active player.
Kershaw and his family enjoyed a moment on the field following his last game at Dodger Stadium as an active player. / Screengrab Twitter @MLBONFOX
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After the disappointment of the Dodgers' 6-1 loss to the Blue Jays in Game 5 of the World Series, future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw and his family had to reckon with a whole sea of other emotions. Long after the last pitch of Wednesday night's game was thrown, Kershaw and his family mingled on the field as the Dodgers ace savored one last moment on the field following his last game at Dodger Stadium as an active player—the final two games of the World Series, if necessary, will be played in Toronto.

First, Kershaw waved as he headed from the bullpen into the dugout and towards the clubhouse following the conclusion of the game. Then, Kershaw, as it neared closing time for Dodger Stadium, posed for a photo with the Dodgers groundskeepers, then savored his moment on the field with family.

Clayton Kershaw's retirement announcement

Kershaw had previously said he would like to retire as a member of the Dodgers, the only team he's ever played for in the big leagues. That will ultimately come to fruition after Kershaw's announcement in September.

"I'm going to call it. I'm going to retire," Kershaw said. "We talked about it a lot. Ellen and I talked about it a lot. The kiddos talked about it a lot. I'm at peace with it. I think it's the right time."

How did Kershaw fare in his last game at Dodger Stadium?

Kershaw made his final regular season start at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 19 against the Giants, a game in which he yielded two earned runs over 4 1/3 innings, striking out six. Kershaw, relegated to the bullpen for the postseason given the Dodgers' loaded starting rotation, authored a massive postseason moment in a marathon Game 3 of the World Series against the Blue Jays.

With the game tied at 5, the bases loaded full of Blue Jays and Toronto threatening to take the lead in the top of the 12th inning of Game 3, Kershaw entered in relief and worked his way out of the jam, inducing a grounder to second base, igniting a roar from the Dodger Stadium crowd.

Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, former National League MVP and 11-time All-Star, is a surefire Hall of Famer.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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