Yankees Slugger Praises Retiring Clayton Kershaw

The New York Yankees outfielder and pending free agent had nothing but love for his former teammate Clayton Kershaw.

Aug 10, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger (35) autographs a ball and tosses it to a fan as pitcher Clayton Kershaw leaps to block it prior to the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

2020 was as scary a year as it was strange. The pandemic shut down the United States. Nobody knew when things would go back to normal. The only source of entertainment for most sports fans was Michael Jordan's "Last Dance" documentary on Netflix. Even when the NBA, NFL, and MLB returned, teams played in front of empty stadiums. Despite a truncated season, winning a championship presented its own set of challenges, particularly in terms of travel restrictions and rigid COVID-19 protocols.

In baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers overcame the challenges of a world in disarray, and Clayton Kershaw, in particular, got that World Series monkey off his back. Kershaw's years of failure were washed away during a World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, where he was brilliant.

Nov 1, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) during the team's 2024 World Series celebration at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

In 2020, Cody Bellinger, currently with the New York Yankees, struggled against Rays pitching, but he, along with the rest of the baseball world, watched as Kershaw finally overcame the postseason struggles that had tormented him in his career.

Bellinger delivered high praise to his old teammate, Kershaw, to Dan Martin of the New York Post.

"He was a big part of that team and all our teams," Bellinger said of his former teammate with the Dodgers. "The way he carries himself. I sat back, watched, and learned: This is what it's supposed to look like. When he took the ball every fifth day, he had a presence. He was the hardest-working person in the room. He had an unmatched work ethic."

Jun 2, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) greets left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) follwing the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Bellinger, whose brutal World Series outside of a game one home run, was picked up by Kershaw, who went 2-0 with a 2.36 ERA. It remains as Bellinger's only championship for now.

Kershaw may be enjoying his final year in the big leagues, but Bellinger hopes to add to his legacy. An MVP award and World Series ring are his most illustrious pieces of hardware from his career, but he doesn't want that to be it.

Bellinger also told Martin he believes the Yankees have as good a chance as any to win their 28th championship. If they do make it back, it would be Bellinger's first appearance back in the October classic since Kershaw last led the Dodgers there in the pandemic-shortened season.

"We have one goal and that's to win the World Series," Bellinger said. "I know that's the goal of a lot of teams, but I like what we have going on in this locker room. Now's the time to prove it."

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