Dodgers Pitcher Clayton Kershaw Will Retire From MLB After 2025 Season

The 11-time All-Star spent his entire career in Los Angeles.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw will retire from baseball after the 2025 season.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw will retire from baseball after the 2025 season. / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
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Longtime Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw is officially hanging up his glove as the team announced on Thursday that the 11-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young winner will retire after the 2025 season.

Kershaw will make his final regular season start on Friday, Sept. 19 when the Dodgers host the Giants at home.

The 37-year-old spent his entire career in Los Angeles since 2008 when the Dodgers first called him up. The Dodgers gave Kershaw a one-year deal back in February to ensure that he would remain with the only club he's ever known. And, now that it was his final season, it was even more fitting for him to be with the Dodgers.

Kershaw's 18th season has definitely been memorable. He made history by joining the elite 3,000 strikeout club, something only 20 pitchers in total have done. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred named Kershaw a "Legend Pick" at this year's All-Star Game, too. Through 20 appearances before his final start on Friday, Kershaw posted a 3.53 ERA with 71 strikeouts and 40 earned runs on him over 102 innings pitched.

. Complete List of Top Moments From Clayton Kershaw's Career. Complete List of Top Moments From Clayton Kershaw's Career. dark

The ace started his season on the 60-day IL after he missed most of the Dodgers' 2024 World Series campaign due to left knee and left toe injuries—both of which required surgery. He returned in mid-May and has remained healthy.

It's possible Friday won't be Kershaw's final MLB start, as the Dodgers are expected to clinch a playoff spot for the 13th season in a row. In Kershaw's 18 seasons, 14 of those saw the Dodgers competing in the postseason. He helped lead the Dodgers to their 2020 World Series championship title.


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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.