Clayton Kershaw First Dodger Warming Up on Field Shortly After Retirement Announcement

May 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) and his son Charley Kershaw before a game against the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images | Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Shortly after Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw announced that he is retiring at the end of the season, he took the field at Dodger Stadium to throw batting practice to his son, Charley.

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Kershaw, 37, is the first Dodger out to warm up on the field ahead of Thursday's game.

The first Dodgers player on the field today: Clayton Kershaw, throwing batting practice in the outfield to his son Charley pic.twitter.com/t62ah5AwHA

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) September 18, 2025

The left-hander is set to make his final start at Dodger Stadium on Friday against the San Francisco Giants, the team that he has faced the most throughout his 18-season career.

The Dodgers drafted Kershaw out of Highland Park High School in Dallas, TX in the 2006 MLB Draft, and brought him up to MLB in 2008. He has played for the Dodgers in every season since, and has put together a Hall of Fame career during his time in LA.

Kershaw has a career ERA of 2.54, which makes him MLB's current active leader with a minimum of 1,000 innings pitched. He is also the active leader in win-loss percentage and shutouts. He reached the 3,000 strikeouts mark this season, and is one of just three active players to heave reached that milestone, the others being Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.

Despite being injured for the 2024 postseason and missing the World Series, Kershaw has still had an extremely decorated career. He won the 2020 World Series with the Dodgers, the MVP in 2014, three CY Young Awards in four years, a Triple Crown, a Gold Glove and made 11 All-Star Games.

"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 his profound charitable endeavors,"Dodgers owner 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."

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Friday's start won't be Kershaw's last regular season start, as he will likely face the Seattle Mariners at T Mobile Park in the final series of the season next week. It could very well be the final start at Dodger Stadium in his storied career, though, if he doesn't start a home postseason game.

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.