Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers Make Massive Clayton Kershaw Retirement Announcement

Jason Fray|
Sep 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Sep 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

In this story:

Los Angeles Dodgers

In a bit of a shock, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Thursday afternoon that longtime starter Clayton Kershaw will retire at the end of the season. The news came seemingly out of nowhere less than two weeks before the postseason is about to begin.

More news: Dodgers Provide Unfortunate Will Smith Injury Update as Postseason Nears

The Dodgers official X account broke the news — also revealing that Kershaw will make his final regular season start Friday against a most fitting opponent in the San Francisco Giants. Kershaw, 37, has been with the Dodgers since 2006 when he was drafted No. 7 overall out of Highland Park High School in Dallas.

From the jump, the franchise quickly learned that it had a very special talent on its hands. Kershaw's unique delivery was punctuated by a fastball sitting in the upper 90s along with a looping 12-to-6 curveball. As he matured and got more experienced, Kershaw's bread-and-butter pitch became a devastating slider.

More news: Dodgers Predicted to Shockingly Lose to Giants in NL Wild Card Round

Over the course of his career, Kershaw has accomplished a host of personal accolades which objectively make him not only a future first ballot Hall of Famer, but also one of the best left-handed pitchers in the history of baseball. As of Sept. 18, Kershaw has won 222 games with a career 2.54 ERA. The 11-time All-Star won the MVP award in 2014 after a sublime season saw him finish with a 21-3 record and a minuscule 1.77 ERA.

Kershaw has won three Cy Young Awards during his illustrious career. He's also led the league in ERA on five separate occasions. For good measure, Kershaw is also two-time World Series Champion. In what will officially be his final year in the big leagues, Kershaw is finishing his career on a high note. He's currently sporting a 10-2 record with a 3.53 ERA.

While it's not guaranteed he'll make a start in the postseason, there's a high likelihood he'll be involved in some capacity given his potency in mixing up pitches coupled with Kershaw's collective experience.

From a Mount Rushmore standpoint pertaining to his generation as well as with the Dodgers, there's a real case to be made that Kershaw belongs to be in both. He's unquestionably been the best Los Angeles starter since Fernando Valenzuela.

While Sandy Koufax gets much of the praise (and rightfully so) as arguably the best left-handed pitcher ever, Kershaw's sustained success over a nearly 20-year career should put him right in the mix as truly an all-time great.

Congrats on a great career, Kersh.

Latest Dodgers News

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

Published | Modified
Jason Fray
JASON FRAY

Jason Fray is a proud native of Los Angeles. After graduating from UCLA in 2011, he's written for a number of publications -- including Bleacher Report, FOX Sports, Saturday Down South, and New Arena. In his downtime, he enjoys writing scripts, going to shows, weekly pub trivia with the boys, trying the best hole-in-the-wall food spots around town, and traveling (22 countries & counting). 

Home/News