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Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
for the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
of
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB) . He has played for the Dodgers for the entirety of his MLB career. A left-handed
starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
, Kershaw has played 14 seasons in the major leagues since he debuted in 2008. He is a nine-time All-Star, three-time
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL)
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Ha ...
winner, and the 2014 NL
Most Valuable Player In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a partic ...
. His 2.49 career
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the numb ...
(ERA) and 1.00
walks plus hits per inning pitched In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. WHIP is calculated by adding the number of walks and hits allowed and divid ...
rate (WHIP) are the 2nd lowest behind only Jacob deGrom among starters in the
live-ball era The live-ball era, also referred to as the lively ball era, is the period in Major League Baseball beginning in (and continuing to the present day), contrasting with the pre-1920 period known as the "dead-ball era". The name "live-ball era" comes ...
(minimum 1,000
innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning ...
). Kershaw has a career hits allowed per nine innings pitched average of 6.83, the third-lowest in MLB history. He has been described for much of his career as the best pitcher in baseball, and one of the greatest pitchers of all time. Kershaw was drafted seventh overall in the 2006 MLB draft. He worked his way through the Dodgers'
farm system In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
in just one full season and reached the majors at 20 years old. When he debuted in 2008, he was the youngest player in MLB, a title he held for one full year. In 2011, he won the pitching Triple Crown and the NL Cy Young Award, becoming the youngest pitcher to accomplish either of these feats since
Dwight Gooden Dwight Eugene Gooden (born November 16, 1964), nicknamed "Dr. K" and "Doc", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Gooden pitched from 1984 to 1994 and from 1996 to 2000 for the ...
in 1985. During the 2013 offseason, the Dodgers signed Kershaw to a franchise record seven-year, $215 million contract extension. Kershaw pitched a
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
on June 18, 2014, becoming the 22nd Dodger to do so. Being a left-handed strikeout pitcher and playing for the Dodgers has drawn Kershaw comparisons to
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
pitcher
Sandy Koufax Sanford Koufax (; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. He has been hailed as one of t ...
. He has led MLB in ERA five times, and was the first major league pitcher to do so in four consecutive years (2011–2014). Kershaw is also a three-time NL wins leader and three-time NL strikeouts leader. Off the field, Kershaw is an active participant in volunteer work. He and his wife Ellen launched "Kershaw's Challenge" and wrote the book ''Arise'' to raise money to build an orphanage in
Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...
. He has been honored with the
Roberto Clemente Award The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team", as voted on by baseball fan ...
and the Branch Rickey Award for his humanitarian work.


Early life

Kershaw was born in
Dallas, Texas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
. His parents divorced when he was 10, and he was raised by his mother. He played in youth sports leagues as a child, including
Little League Baseball Little League Baseball and Softball (officially, Little League Baseball Inc) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Kershaw attended nearby Highland Park High School, where he played baseball and was also the
center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
for future NFL quarterback
Matthew Stafford John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia, where he was a first-team All-American, and was selected ...
on the varsity football team. After a growth spurt and further development of his pitches, he established himself as an elite high school
prospect Prospect may refer to: General * Prospect (marketing), a marketing term describing a potential customer * Prospect (sports), any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team * Prospect (minin ...
in 2006 when he posted a 13–0 record with an
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the numb ...
(ERA) of 0.77, and recorded 139
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is den ...
s in 64
innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning ...
. In a playoff game against Northwest High School of Justin, Texas, Kershaw pitched an all-strikeout perfect game. He struck out all 15 batters he faced in the game, which was shortened because of the
mercy rule A mercy rule, slaughter rule, knockout rule, or skunk rule ends a two-competitor sports competition earlier than the scheduled endpoint if one competitor has a very large and presumably insurmountable scoring lead over the other. It is called th ...
. He also hit a grand slam. He also pitched for
USA Baseball USA Baseball is the national governing body for organized baseball in the United States, and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation. The organization selects and trains the World Basebal ...
's Junior National Team in the Pan Am Championship. Kershaw was selected by ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' as "High School Baseball Player of the Year", and was also the
Gatorade National Player of the Year The Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to up and coming high school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys' baseball, boys' and girls' basketball, boys' and girls' cross country, boys' football, boys' a ...
for baseball. Entering the 2006 MLB draft, Kershaw was considered the consensus top high school pitcher available. The
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
selected Kershaw with the seventh overall pick in the draft. He had committed to
Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public university, public, Land-grant university, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M Unive ...
, but turned down the scholarship offer to sign with the Dodgers, with a
signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
estimated at $2.3 million. The bonus was the largest to any Dodgers draft pick at the time, and was eventually topped by Zach Lee in the 2010 draft.


Professional career


Minor Leagues

Kershaw began his career with the Gulf Coast League (GCL) Dodgers. He pitched 37 innings in which he struck out 54 batters (
walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an ' inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults ...
only five), while compiling a record of 2–0 with a 1.95 ERA. He featured a
fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. " Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thr ...
that topped out at and he was rated as the top prospect in the GCL, and the Dodgers' second best prospect by ''
Baseball America ''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...
'' behind
third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system u ...
Andy LaRoche Andrew Christian LaRoche (born September 13, 1983) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics, and Toronto Blue Jays. L ...
. Kershaw was promoted to the
Great Lakes Loons The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Midland, Michigan, and play their home games at Dow Diamond, which opened in April 2007. Histor ...
in 2007, with whom he recorded a record of 7–5 with a 2.77 ERA. He was selected to play on the East Team in the
Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganiza ...
All-Star Game and on the USA team in the
All-Star Futures Game The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball (MLB) in conjunction with the mid-summer MLB All-Star Game. A team of American League-affiliated prospects competes against a team of National Leag ...
. On August 6, he was promoted to the Double-A
Jacksonville Suns The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in the area. The team pla ...
in the Southern League, where he produced a 1–2 record and 3.65 ERA in five starts and was selected as the top prospect in the Dodgers organization heading into the 2008 season. During
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...
in a game against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, Kershaw gained much attention for throwing a
curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curv ...
to Sean Casey that started behind Casey but at the end looped into the
strike zone In baseball, the strike zone is the volume of space through which a pitch must pass in order to be called a strike even if the batter does not swing. The strike zone is defined as the volume of space above home plate and between the batter's k ...
and struck him out looking. Kershaw was 0–3 and had a 2.28 ERA with 47 strikeouts through innings pitched in his first stint of the year with the Suns. He was then called up to the majors on May 28, 2008, but
optioned In the film industry, an option is a contractual agreement pertaining to film rights between a potential film producer (such as a movie studio, a production company, or an individual) and the author of source material, such as a book, play, or s ...
back to Jacksonville on July 2. Kershaw pitched 18 innings during his second trip to Jacksonville (two starts and one seven-inning relief appearance), winning two games. During this stretch, he allowed only two
earned run In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an erro ...
s, lowering his ERA to 1.91. He was recalled on July 22.


Los Angeles Dodgers


2008–2010 seasons: Early career

On May 24, 2008, the Dodgers bought Kershaw's minor-league contract, and he was added to the active roster. Sportswriter Tony Jackson called Kershaw's debut the most anticipated start by a Dodgers pitcher since
Hideo Nomo is a Japanese former baseball pitcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He achieved early success in his native country, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to . He then exploited a l ...
's MLB debut during the 1995 season. He made his MLB debut on May 25, starting against the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
. He struck out the first batter he faced, Skip Schumaker, the first of seven strikeouts in the game, in which he pitched six innings and allowed two runs. When he debuted, Kershaw was the youngest player in MLB, a title he held for one full year. Kershaw won his first MLB game against the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
on July 27, 2008. He pitched six-plus shutout innings, allowing four hits, a walk, and he struck out five. Kershaw finished his rookie season 5–5, with a 4.26 ERA in 22 games (21 starts). He also pitched two innings out of the
bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
for the Dodgers in the 2008 National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. On April 15, 2009, Kershaw pitched seven innings, striking out 13 batters while allowing only one hit (a solo
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
) against the rival
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yo ...
. He was the youngest Dodger to ever strikeout 13 or more batters in a game since Sandy Koufax did it in the 1955 season. On May 17, 2009, Kershaw did not allow a hit against the
Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fran ...
through 7 innings, then gave up a lead-off double to Florida's Cody Ross. In 2009, despite an 8–8 record, he led the major leagues in opposing batting average (.200), opposing
slugging percentage In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at bats for a given player, ...
(.282), and
hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album s ...
per nine innings (6.26). He also posted an ERA of 2.79 and 185
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is den ...
s. Kershaw also walked 91 batters, which was second most in the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL). Kershaw made his playoff starting debut against the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2009 National League Division Series (NLDS). He went innings, striking out 4, walking 1, and ended up getting a no-decision (the Dodgers went on to win the game in the 9th inning). At 21 years old, he started the opener of the 2009 NLCS against the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
and was the third youngest pitcher to ever start a playoff series opener, behind only
Fernando Valenzuela Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea (, born November 1, 1960) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. Valenzuela played 17 Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons, from to and to . While he played for six MLB teams, he is best remembered f ...
in the 1981 NLDS and Rick Ankiel in the
2000 NLDS The 2000 National League Division Series (NLDS), the opening round of the 2000 National League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 3, and ended on Sunday, October 8, with the champions of the three NL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—p ...
. Kershaw started the 2010 season by posting a 3.07 ERA in April but did so by walking 22 batters in 29 innings. On May 4, he had the worst start of his career against the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
at
Dodger Stadium Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ...
, throwing just 57 pitches in innings while retiring only four of the 13 batters he faced—including the pitcher. He was booed loudly upon being pulled from the game. Kershaw said after the game, "I didn't give our team any kind of chance. It's just not a good feeling to let your teammates down, let everybody down. It stings, it hurts. I've got to figure things out." Kershaw rebounded his next start by pitching an 8-inning two-hitter and outdueling the then undefeated Ubaldo Jiménez. He credited his control of the slider being the major turning point for him. Later in the season, he was suspended for five games after hitting
Aaron Rowand Aaron Ryan Rowand (born August 29, 1977) is an American former professional baseball center fielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and the San Francisco Giants and won two World Series cham ...
of the Giants with a pitch in a game on July 20. The incident occurred after both teams were given a warning following Giants ace Tim Lincecum hitting Matt Kemp earlier in the game. He threw his first career
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...
on September 14, 2010, also against San Francisco and finished the season with a record of 13–10 and a 2.91 ERA in 32 starts, pitching innings and recording 212 strikeouts.


2011 season: 1st Cy Young Award

After finishing the 2010 season strong, the Dodgers named Kershaw as the
Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
Starter for the 2011 season. On May 29, he pitched the second complete-game shutout of his career, striking out 10 while winning a two-hitter against the Florida Marlins, 8–0; he also had two singles and an RBI, scoring twice in the game. He produced his third career shutout on June 20, a two-hit, 11-strikeout effort against the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
, and became the first Dodgers starter to strike out the side in the 9th inning since
Sandy Koufax's perfect game Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched a perfect game in the National League against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, September 9, 1965. The game was not televised. Koufax, by retiring 27 consecutive batters without a ...
in 1965. In his next start, on June 26, Kershaw pitched another complete game (against the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ...
). He became the first Dodger starter to have back-to-back complete-game victories since Jeff Weaver in the 2005 season and the first Dodger to have double-digit strikeouts in consecutive starts since
Chan Ho Park Chan Ho Park (; ; born June 30, 1973) is a South Korean former professional baseball pitcher. Park was the first South Korea-born player in MLB history. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, ...
in the 2000 season. He was awarded the National League Player of the Week award for the week of June 20–26 as a result of those two starts. Midway through June, Kershaw had amassed 32 career victories, a 3.15 ERA and 593 career strikeouts in 568.2 innings. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Kershaw was the first 23-year-old pitcher to have that many victories, an ERA that low and an average of more than one strikeout per inning since ERA became an official statistic in 1910. Kershaw was selected to the National League team for the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, his first All-Star selection. In the month of July, Kershaw was 4–1 with a 2.02 ERA and NL-leading 45 strikeouts, earning him the National League Pitcher of the Month Award. On August 23, he struck out
Matt Holliday Matthew Thomas Holliday (born January 15, 1980) is an American professional baseball coach and former left fielder who is the bench coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB from 2004 to 2018 for t ...
of the St. Louis Cardinals for his 200th strikeout of the season and became the 10th Dodger pitcher to record back-to-back 200 strikeout seasons and the first since Chan-Ho Park did it in the 2001 season. Over the course of the season, Kershaw pitched opposite two-time
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Ha ...
winner and three-time defending NL strikeout leader Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants in four particularly memorable matchups. Lincecum posted a 1.24 ERA over 29 innings in the four games but failed to record a win, as Kershaw countered with a 0.30 ERA over innings and was the winning pitcher in each game. Each game was decided by a final score of 1–0 or 2–1, with many writers describing the matchups as historic and reminiscent of epic pitching duels of bygone eras. Kershaw finished the 2011 season by leading the NL with 21 wins, 248 strikeouts, and a 2.28 ERA, winning the NL pitching Triple Crown, the first Triple Crown winner since
Jake Peavy Jacob Edward Peavy (born May 31, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco Giants. He batted and threw r ...
of the 2007 San Diego Padres and the first Dodger since Sandy Koufax won it in the 1966 season. Justin Verlander of the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
won the
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league b ...
Triple Crown the same season, marking the first major-league season since 1924 to feature Triple Crown-winning pitchers in both leagues. Kershaw's 21 wins were the most by a Dodger pitcher since
Orel Hershiser Orel Leonard Hershiser IV (born September 16, 1958) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1983 to 2000. He later became a pitching coach for the Texas Rangers from 2002 to 2005 and a bro ...
won 23 during the 1988 season. His ERA was the lowest by a Dodger since Hershiser's 2.03 in the 1985 season, his strikeouts were the most by a Dodger since Koufax's 317 in 1966 and his innings pitched were the most since Chan Ho Park pitched 234 in 2001. Since 1965 when Koufax did it, Peavy and Kershaw are only two pitchers in the National League have led the league in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and
WHIP A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally ...
(walks plus hits per inning pitched). Kershaw also became just the second left-hander to have a 240-plus strikeouts in a season before the age of 24, joining
Vida Blue Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. (born July 28, 1949) is a former American professional baseball player. He was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball between and , most notably as an integral member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won thr ...
. After the season, Kershaw was awarded the Warren Spahn Award as the best left-handed pitcher in 2011, the Players Choice Award for Most Outstanding National League pitcher, the
Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
as the top fielding pitcher in the NL and the ''
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'' (TSN) National League Pitcher of the Year. He was additionally selected as the starting pitcher for the TSN NL All-Star Team. On November 17, he was honored with the
National League Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
, making him the youngest Cy Young winner since
Dwight Gooden Dwight Eugene Gooden (born November 16, 1964), nicknamed "Dr. K" and "Doc", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Gooden pitched from 1984 to 1994 and from 1996 to 2000 for the ...
of the 1985 New York Mets. He was the 8th Dodger pitcher to win the award, the first since Éric Gagné in the 2003 season.


2012 season: Cy Young runner-up

On February 7, 2012, Kershaw and the Dodgers agreed on a two-year, $19 million contract. The contract was the second highest for a player in his first year of
arbitration Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that resolves disputes outside the judiciary courts. The dispute will be decided by one or more persons (the 'arbitrators', 'arbiters' or 'arbitral tribunal'), which renders the ...
(after Tim Lincecum's $23 million 2-year contract in 2010). Kershaw was the Dodgers' Opening Day starter for the second year in a row, where he pitched three innings of shutout ball against the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
at
Petco Park Petco Park is a baseball stadium in Downtown San Diego, California. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres, and has also been used as a venue for concerts, soccer, golf, and rugby. The ballpark is located bet ...
before being removed from the game due to flu-like symptoms. On April 27, he was able to last through eight innings for his second win of the season against the Washington Nationals. The win was also his 12th straight home win, tying him with Ed Roebuck (June 1960 – August 1962) and
Orel Hershiser Orel Leonard Hershiser IV (born September 16, 1958) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1983 to 2000. He later became a pitching coach for the Texas Rangers from 2002 to 2005 and a bro ...
(September 1984 – October 1985) for the longest home winning streak since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. Kershaw won the National League's Player of the Week Award for the week of May 14–20 after he made two starts during that week and pitched 16 scoreless innings, including his fourth career shutout. Kershaw was selected to appear in the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the second straight year he made the team. On August 11, he went over 200 innings on the season, becoming the 12th Los Angeles Dodger pitcher with three or more seasons of 200 or more innings, and the first since Hershiser did it five times from 1985 to 1989. Kershaw also became just the fifth Dodger pitcher with three straight 200 strikeout seasons. Kershaw finished 2012 with a 14–9 record, a 2.53 ERA (leading the league), 229 strikeouts, and innings pitched, coming second in both categories. He became the first pitcher to lead the league in ERA in consecutive seasons since Arizona's Randy Johnson in 2001–02. This was also marked his fourth year in a row with a sub-3.00 ERA, making him the first to do this since Randy Johnson from 1999 to 2002. He finished second for the NL Cy Young behind R. A. Dickey, receiving two first-place votes.


2013 season: 2nd Cy Young Award

Kershaw made his third straight opening day start for the Dodgers in the 2013 season, the first Dodger starter to do so since
Derek Lowe Derek Christopher Lowe (born June 1, 1973) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. During his career, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland I ...
(2005–2007). In that opening day start, he pitched a complete game, four-hit, 1-0 shutout over the Giants, having also scored the only run of the game, a solo home run which was his first and so far only home run of his career. He was the first pitcher to throw a shutout and hit a home run on opening day since
Bob Lemon Robert Granville Lemon (September 22, 1920 – January 11, 2000) was an American right-handed pitcher and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Lemon was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976. Lemon was raised in Californi ...
of the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...
did so against the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
on April 14, 1953. Kershaw picked up his 1,000th career strikeout on April 17, 2013, when he struck out Yonder Alonso of the Padres. He was the second youngest Dodger to reach that mark, behind only Fernando Valenzuela. On May 14, Kershaw passed the 1,000 inning mark for his career. His ERA of 2.70 at the time was the fifth-best of the
live-ball era The live-ball era, also referred to as the lively ball era, is the period in Major League Baseball beginning in (and continuing to the present day), contrasting with the pre-1920 period known as the "dead-ball era". The name "live-ball era" comes ...
at the 1,000 inning mark and the best career mark. He also threw 130 pitches that day, the most of his career and the most by a Dodger pitcher since Odalis Pérez in the 2003 season. Kershaw was selected to the
2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 84th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It was held on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at Citi Field in Queens, New York City, the home of the New York Mets. This was the first time ...
, his third straight selection. In July, he compiled a 4–1 record and 1.34 ERA in six starts and was awarded his second National League Pitcher of the Month Award. On September 2, Kershaw picked up his 200th strikeout of 2013, joining
Hall of Famers A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
Sandy Koufax Sanford Koufax (; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. He has been hailed as one of t ...
and
Don Drysdale Donald Scott Drysdale (July 23, 1936 – July 3, 1993) was an American professional baseball player and television sports commentator. A right-handed pitcher for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers for his entire career in Major League Baseball, D ...
as the only starters in Dodgers history with at least four consecutive seasons of more than 200 strikeouts. Kershaw finished the season with a 16–9 record, 236 innings pitched (a career-high), and a Major League-best 1.83 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. He was the third player in history to lead the Majors in ERA three years in a row, joining
Greg Maddux Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Maddux is best known for his accomplishments while playing for the Atlanta Braves ...
(1993–95) and
Lefty Grove Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove (March 6, 1900 – May 22, 1975) was an American professional baseball pitcher. After having success in the minor leagues during the early 1920s, Grove became a star in Major League Baseball with the American League's P ...
(1929–31). His ERA was the first sub-2.00 ERA since
Roger Clemens William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "Rocket", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Boston Red Sox. Clemens was one of the most dominant pi ...
did it in the 2005 season and the lowest overall since Pedro Martínez in the 2000 season. He was only the third Dodger pitcher to have an ERA under 3.00 in five consecutive seasons (Koufax and Nap Rucker). Kershaw struck out 12 batters in seven innings in the first game of the 2013 National League Division Series. That was the third most strikeouts by a Dodger pitcher in the playoffs, behind only Koufax (15 in the
1963 World Series The 1963 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1963 season. The 60th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff that matched the American League (AL) champion and two-time defending World Se ...
) and Carl Erskine (14 in the
1953 World Series The 1953 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1953 season. The 50th edition of the World Series, it matched the four-time defending champions New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a rematch of t ...
). His six straight strikeouts in the game tied an MLB postseason record set by
Tim Belcher Timothy Wayne Belcher (born October 19, 1961) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 to 2000 for seven different teams. He was named '' The Sporting News'' Rookie Pitcher of the Year ...
in the second game of the 1988 World Series. He picked up his first career postseason victory in that game. Kershaw won the Warren Spahn Award for 2013, the second time he had won the award, which honors the best left-handed pitcher in the Major Leagues. He was also selected to the ''Sporting News'' NL All-Star team, the fourth Dodger pitcher to be named to the team twice (after Koufax, Valenzuela and
Don Newcombe Donald Newcombe (June 14, 1926 – February 19, 2019), nicknamed "Newk", was an American professional baseball pitcher in Negro league and Major League Baseball who played for the Newark Eagles (1944–45), Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1949–1 ...
). On November 13, he won the NL Cy Young Award for the second time in three seasons. He became just the sixth pitcher in history to finish in the top two in voting three seasons in a row. After the season, Kershaw and the Dodgers agreed on a seven-year, $215 million, contract extension. The deal was the richest in MLB history for a pitcher, eclipsing the seven-year, $180 million, contract signed by Justin Verlander the previous year. The average annual value of $30.7 million was also the largest ever for a baseball player, beating the $28 million
Roger Clemens William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "Rocket", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Boston Red Sox. Clemens was one of the most dominant pi ...
received in 2007 and the 10-year, $275 million contract that
Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
signed that same year.


2014 season: 3rd Cy Young Award and National League MVP

Kershaw made his fourth straight opening day start for the Dodgers in 2014, only the fourth Dodger ever to do so. This season the game was played at the
Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. It is used for Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australian rules football and occasionally for rugby league, rugby union and association f ...
in Australia. Before his second start, Kershaw felt some pain in his back and was placed on the
disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...
for the first time in his career. He did not rejoin the Dodgers until early May. On June 18, he pitched a complete game
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
against the
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fi ...
and struck out a career-high 15 batters. The only batter to reach base was due to an
error An error (from the Latin ''error'', meaning "wandering") is an action which is inaccurate or incorrect. In some usages, an error is synonymous with a mistake. The etymology derives from the Latin term 'errare', meaning 'to stray'. In statistics ...
by Hanley Ramirez in the top of the seventh inning, costing Kershaw a perfect game. He is one of two pitchers in MLB history, along with Max Scherzer, with 15 strikeouts in a game while allowing no hits and no walks. Kershaw was 6–0 with an 0.82 ERA in June and was awarded his third career Pitcher of the Month award. He was selected to the National League squad at the
2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 85th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, held at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the home of the Minnesota Twins. This was the third All-Star Game played in the Tw ...
, his fourth straight selection. He was the sixth Dodger pitcher, and the first since
Fernando Valenzuela Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea (, born November 1, 1960) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. Valenzuela played 17 Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons, from to and to . While he played for six MLB teams, he is best remembered f ...
to make the All-Star team four years in a row. Kershaw had a 41-inning scoreless streak that ended in the top of the sixth inning on July 10 when, with two outs, Chase Headley homered to left field at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw's streak was, at the time, tied for the fifteenth longest scoreless inning streak in MLB history. He won the pitcher of the month award again in July, the third Dodger (along with Don Sutton and
Burt Hooton Burt Carlton Hooton (born February 7, 1950), nicknamed "Happy", is an American former right-handed starting pitcher and former coach in Major League Baseball. He won 151 games over a 15-year career, mostly with the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dod ...
) to win it two months in a row. He was 4–0 with a 1.10 ERA in the month with 48 strikeouts and only 10 walks. He picked up his 200th strikeout of the season on September 2, the fifth year in a row he had reached that number, trailing only the six seasons in a row for
Sandy Koufax Sanford Koufax (; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. He has been hailed as one of t ...
among Dodger starters. He also became just the fourth pitcher since 1893 to have at least five 200-strikeout seasons through an age-26 season (
Bert Blyleven Bert Blyleven (born Rik Aalbert Blijleven, April 6, 1951) is a Dutch-American former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1970 to 1992, primarily with the Minnesota Twins. Blyleven recorded 3,701 ...
, Walter Johnson and
Sam McDowell Samuel Edward Thomas McDowell (born September 21, 1942), is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a starting pitcher from 1961 to 1975, most notably for the Cleveland Indians. A six-time All-Star, ...
are the others). Kershaw finished the season 21–3 with a 1.77 ERA in 27 starts. He led the National League in numerous categories once again, such as ERA, ERA+, Wins, Win %,
WHIP A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally ...
, IP/GS, SO/9,
Strikeout-to-walk ratio In baseball statistics, strikeout-to-walk ratio (K/BB) is a measure of a pitcher's ability to control pitches, calculated as strikeouts divided by bases on balls. A hit by pitch is not counted statistically as a walk, and therefore not counted ...
,
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
s, FIP, and
Wins Above Replacement Wins Above Replacement or Wins Above Replacement Player, commonly abbreviated to WAR or WARP, is a non-standardized sabermetric baseball statistic developed to sum up "a player's total contributions to his team". A player's WAR value is claimed to ...
for both pitchers and all NL players. He also finished third in strikeouts despite missing most of the first month of the season. He was the first pitcher in history to win four consecutive ERA titles. Many experts called his 2014 season one of the best pitching seasons in recent memory. However, in his first start of the playoffs, in Game 1 of the Division Series against the Cardinals, Kershaw became the first pitcher in history to strike out 10 while allowing eight runs. He had cruised through the first six innings while allowing only two hits (both solo homers) and surrendered six runs in the seventh. He did tie Koufax for the only Dodgers pitchers with multiple double-digit strikeout games in the playoffs. He was also the first pitcher in history to give up at least seven runs in back-to-back postseason starts (his previous one was Game 6 of the 2013 National League Championship Series). Pitching on short rest in Game 4, he would again be dominant, but again would take the loss after giving up a 3-run home run to
Matt Adams Matthew James Adams (born August 31, 1988) is an American professional baseball first baseman in the Washington Nationals organization. Nicknamed "Big City" for his imposing size and ability to regularly hit long home runs, the St. Louis Cardina ...
in the 7th inning. It was the first home run Kershaw had allowed in his career to a left-handed batter off his curveball. Kershaw was honored after the season with the player of the year awards from both ''The Sporting News'' and
Baseball America ''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...
. He won three awards at the
Players Choice Awards The Players Choice Awards are annual Major League Baseball awards, given by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). The Players Choice Awards are given following a secret ballot by players. Four awards go to a player in each leagu ...
including Outstanding NL Pitcher, Player of the Year and the
Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award The Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award is given annually to a Major League Baseball (MLB) player "whose on-field performance and contributions to his community inspire others to higher levels of achievement." The award was created by the Major ...
. He also won his third (and second straight) Warren Spahn Award. On November 12, he was awarded his third
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Ha ...
in four seasons (a unanimous vote). The following day, he was elected as the NL MVP, the first National League pitcher to win the award since
Bob Gibson Robert Gibson (born Pack Robert Gibson; November 9, 1935October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975). Nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot" ...
in
1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * J ...
and the first Dodgers player to win the award since Kirk Gibson in
1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Bicenten ...
.


2015 season: 300-strikeout season

Kershaw made his fifth straight opening day start in 2015, the first Dodgers pitcher to do so since Hall of Famer Don Sutton started seven in a row from 1972 through
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd government). * January 6 ...
. He recorded his 1,500th career strikeout on May 10 when he fanned
Drew Stubbs Robert Andrew Stubbs (born October 4, 1984) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, Baltimore ...
of the
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fi ...
. Kershaw picked up his 100th career win on May 15 against the Rockies. He became the 22nd pitcher in franchise history, and the second-youngest active pitcher to reach that mark. Kershaw won his sixth career NL Player of the Week award for the week of June 1–7, 2015, when he allowed only two runs on 10 baserunners in 15 innings while striking out 18 in two starts. Kershaw did not make the initial NL roster for the 2015 All-Star Game, though he was included on the Final Vote ballot, which he lost to Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez. However, he was added to the roster to replace Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, who was unavailable due to pitching the Sunday before the game. It became his fifth straight all-star selection, joining
Sandy Koufax Sanford Koufax (; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. He has been hailed as one of t ...
and
Fernando Valenzuela Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea (, born November 1, 1960) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. Valenzuela played 17 Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons, from to and to . While he played for six MLB teams, he is best remembered f ...
as the only Dodgers pitchers to accomplish that feat. Kershaw struck out a season-high 14 batters in eight shutout innings on July 18 against the Washington Nationals. He became the first Dodgers starter with back-to-back games of at least 13 strikeouts since
Chan Ho Park Chan Ho Park (; ; born June 30, 1973) is a South Korean former professional baseball pitcher. Park was the first South Korea-born player in MLB history. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, ...
in
2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
, and the first Dodgers pitcher with back-to-back games of double-digit strikeouts and no walks since
Dazzy Vance Charles Arthur "Dazzy" Vance (March 4, 1891 – February 16, 1961) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a pitcher for five different franchises in Major League Baseball (MLB) in a career that spanned twenty years. Known for ...
in
1930 Events January * January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will b ...
. He shared the NL Player of the Week honors with his teammate Zack Greinke for the week of July 13–19 and won NL Pitcher of the Month for July. Kershaw picked up his 200th strikeout of the season on August 12, tying
Hideo Nomo is a Japanese former baseball pitcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He achieved early success in his native country, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to . He then exploited a l ...
's 1995 season for the fastest to that mark in Dodgers history at 156 innings. This was the sixth straight 200 strikeout season for Kershaw, tying Sandy Koufax for the most in Dodgers franchise history. On October 4, Kershaw became the 11th player in Major League history to strike out 300 batters in a season, the first player since Randy Johnson did it in 2002. He finished the season with a 16–7 record, a 2.13 ERA, and 301 strikeouts in innings. He led the major leagues in
pickoff In baseball, a pickoff is an act by a pitcher or catcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder can tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base. A pickoff attempt occurs when this throw ...
s, with nine. In Game One of the 2015 National League Division Series, Kershaw struck out 11 in innings but allowed three runs for his fifth straight postseason loss. He and
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major lea ...
starter Jacob deGrom were the first pair of starters to each throw at least 11 strikeouts in the same postseason game in MLB history. He rebounded in game four, earning the win on three days' rest by allowing one run and three hits against eight strikeouts in seven innings on October 13. Kershaw finished third in the National League
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Ha ...
voting, placing behind teammate Zack Greinke and eventual winner Jake Arrieta.


2016 season: Injury-plagued year

Kershaw made his sixth straight opening day start in 2016 as the Dodgers won 15–0. It also marked the first time the Dodgers had won six straight opening day games, all of which he started. On May 12 against the New York Mets, he struck out 13 while pitching a three-hit complete-game shutout. He set an MLB record with six consecutive starts with at least 10 strikeouts and no more than one walk and a club record with six consecutive starts with at least 10 strikeouts. He picked up his 100th strikeout on May 29, while only walking five batters within that period. That was the lowest walk total for a pitcher reaching 100 strikeouts in the modern era, beating
Cliff Lee Clifton Phifer Lee (born August 30, 1978) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher who played for 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Between 2002 and 2014 he played for four teams, most notably the Philadelphia Philli ...
who had seven walks in the 2010 season. On June 30, 2016, Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to back pain. He received an MRI, which revealed that there was a mild herniated disc in the back, and received an epidural injection to treat the pain. He was named to the 2016 All-Star team but was unable to pitch in the game due to his injury. On July 20, the Dodgers shut down Kershaw for an indefinite period of time. He continued to feel discomfort in his back after a simulated game. On August 3, Kershaw was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. He rejoined the Dodger rotation on September 9. He started 21 games in 2016, with a 12–4 record and 1.69 ERA. He also struck out 172 batters with only 11 walks. Kershaw started games one and four of the 2016 National League Division Series and picked up the save in the clinching game five. It was his first professional save since he was with the
Gulf Coast Dodgers The Arizona Complex League Dodgers are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. The team is compo ...
in his first minor league season in
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
. He next pitched seven shutout innings, allowing only two hits, in Game two of the 2016 National League Championship Series against the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
. He struggled in Game Six, allowing five runs in five innings to pick up the loss as the Dodgers were eliminated from post-season contention.


2017 season: First World Series appearance

Kershaw made his seventh straight Opening Day start, tying Don Sutton for most consecutive Opening Day starts, and Sutton and
Don Drysdale Donald Scott Drysdale (July 23, 1936 – July 3, 1993) was an American professional baseball player and television sports commentator. A right-handed pitcher for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers for his entire career in Major League Baseball, D ...
for most total opening day starts by a Dodger. On June 2, he struck out
Jonathan Villar Jonathan Rafael Villar Roque (born May 2, 1991) is a Dominican professional baseball second baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, Miami Marlins, Toronto Blue ...
of the Milwaukee Brewers for his 2,000th career strikeout. He was the fifth-youngest player in major league history to reach that mark, as well as the second-fastest pitcher to 2,000 strikeouts, accomplishing the feat in 277 games (behind Randy Johnson's 262 games). He was named to his seventh straight
all-star game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or d ...
, second most in Dodgers history after Drysdale. On July 23, Kershaw left the game due to back tightness. The same day, he was placed on the 10-day disabled list. He returned to the mound on September 1, but despite his extended absence, he went on to lead the National League in earned run average and wins. In 27 starts, he was 18–4 with a 2.31 ERA and 202 strikeouts. He led all major league pitchers in
left on base L lace :To reach base by hitting a ball between infielders. "McCann laced it through the shift on the right side of the infield." Lady Godiva :A pitch delivered with nothing on it. A nod to the legend of Lady Godiva riding naked on horseback. ...
percentage, stranding 87.4% of base runners. He also led all major league pitchers in first-strike percentage (69.4%). In the opener of the 2017 NLDS against the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The ...
, he allowed four solo home runs in innings but still picked up the win. The four home runs were tied for the most allowed in a postseason game. He made two starts in the 2017 NLCS against the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
, both Dodgers wins, including the clinching game five. He allowed three runs in 11 innings in the two games with nine strikeouts and only two walks. Kershaw started the opening game of the
2017 World Series The 2017 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2017 season. The 113th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers and th ...
for the Dodgers against the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after s ...
. He struck out 11 batters in the game without walking anyone and only allowed one run (a solo homer) on three hits to pick up the win. His 11 strikeouts were the third most ever by a Dodgers pitcher in a World Series game, after
Sandy Koufax Sanford Koufax (; born Sanford Braun; December 30, 1935) is an American former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. He has been hailed as one of t ...
(15 in
1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Co ...
) and Carl Erskine (14 in
1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen President of Yugosl ...
). He made another start in the fifth game of the series, but he did not pitch as well this time, allowing six runs on four hits in innings. Notably, he threw 39 sliders and generated only one swing and miss all game. Although he received criticism after this start for his continued postseason struggles, the later revelation of the
Houston Astros sign stealing scandal The Houston Astros sign stealing scandal resulted from a series of rule violations by members of the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB), who used technology to steal signs of opposing teams during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. For yea ...
as a possible factor has complicated assessments of his performance in this game. He came back in game seven to pitch four scoreless innings of relief in the game, and in the process, he broke
Orel Hershiser Orel Leonard Hershiser IV (born September 16, 1958) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1983 to 2000. He later became a pitching coach for the Texas Rangers from 2002 to 2005 and a bro ...
's Dodgers post-season record with his 33rd strikeout. However, the Dodgers lost the game and the series. Kershaw was selected as a starting pitcher on ''Baseball Americas All-MLB Team and finished second in the NL Cy Young Award voting.


2018 season: Second World Series appearance

Kershaw made his team-record eighth opening-day start in 2018. He allowed only one run in six innings with seven strikeouts against the Giants, but still lost the game 1–0. It was his first opening-day loss. On May 6, Kershaw was placed on the disabled list due to left biceps tendinitis. He returned to the team for one start on May 31, during which he experienced a recurrence of his chronic back pain and was put back on the disabled list. He rejoined the roster on June 23. He had a record of 9–5 with a 2.73 ERA and 155 strikeouts in 2018, his lowest win total and highest ERA since 2010 and fewest strikeouts since his rookie season. In a surprising move, Dave Roberts chose Hyun-jin Ryu to pitch the Dodgers' first playoff game of the 2018 NLDS against the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
. It was the first time since 2009 that Kershaw had not started the first game of the playoffs for the Dodgers. He started the second game of the series and pitched eight scoreless innings while allowing only two hits. He then started the opener of the
2018 NLCS The 2018 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the Milwaukee Brewers against the Los Angeles Dodgers, for the National League (NL) pennant and the right to play in the 2018 World Series against the AL Champions, ...
against the Milwaukee Brewers, but turned in the shortest postseason start of his career, replaced with no outs in the fourth inning after allowing five runs on six hits and two walks. He had better results in Game 5, pitching seven innings and allowing one run on three hits and two walks while striking out nine. He also walked twice as a batter, becoming just the third pitcher in the last 20 years to do so in a postseason game (after
Jon Lester Jonathan Tyler Lester (born January 7, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals. L ...
in the 2016 NLCS and
Derek Lowe Derek Christopher Lowe (born June 1, 1973) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. During his career, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland I ...
in the 2008 NLDS). Kershaw made two starts for the Dodgers in the 2018 World Series against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. In Game 1 he pitched four innings and gave up five runs in an 8–4 loss, and in Game 5 he pitched seven innings and allowed four runs, including three home runs as the Red Sox won the Series 4–1; it was the Dodgers' second straight World Series defeat. Kershaw's contract allowed him to opt out and become a free agent after the 2018 season, but on November 2 he and the team agreed to a new three-year, $93 million contract. This extended his previous contract by one year and $28 million.


2019 season: More injuries and an early playoff exit

Kershaw experienced left shoulder inflammation early in spring training, causing him to be shut down and he did not begin throwing in spring until late. As a result, the Dodgers chose to place him on the injured list to begin the season, ending his Dodgers record streak of eight straight opening-day starts. He was selected to the 2019 MLB All-Star Game, his eighth all-star appearance. Kershaw picked up his 165th career win on August 14 against the
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fra ...
, tying Koufax for the most ever by a Dodger left-handed pitcher. He also struck out the first seven batters in the game, breaking a Dodger record previously held by Andy Messersmith (
1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: ...
) and one short of the major league record. Kershaw picked up his 166th career win on August 20 against the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
, passing Koufax for the most wins ever by a Dodger left-handed pitcher. That game also marked only the sixth time in his career that Kershaw gave up two home runs in the same game to the same batter,
Bo Bichette Bo Joseph Bichette (born March 5, 1998) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). High school Bichette was home schooled, but competed in baseball for Lakewood High School in St. Pe ...
, and only the first time Kershaw did so to a rookie. Kershaw finished the 2019 regular season with a record of 16–5 with 3.03 ERA with 189 strikeouts. On offense, he led the major leagues with 15 sacrifice hits. In the
National League Division Series In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring ...
against the Washington Nationals, Kershaw started Game 2 and entered Game 5 in relief. In Game 2, Kershaw pitched six innings and allowed three runs in a 4–2 loss. In Game 5, he entered the game in relief of Walker Buehler with two outs in the seventh inning and struck out Adam Eaton. In the eighth inning Kershaw allowed home runs on back-to-back pitches to
Anthony Rendon Anthony Michael Rendon (, ; born June 6, 1990) is an American baseball third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Washington Nationals and was a member of the Nationals' 2019 World S ...
and Juan Soto to surrender a 3–1 lead, and the Nationals won the game and the series.


2020 season: World Series championship

Kershaw was scheduled to start on opening day in the season shorted by the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, but he hurt his back in the weight room and was placed on the injured list to start the season. Instead, rookie Dustin May got his first opening Day nod. On August 20, he passed
Don Drysdale Donald Scott Drysdale (July 23, 1936 – July 3, 1993) was an American professional baseball player and television sports commentator. A right-handed pitcher for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers for his entire career in Major League Baseball, D ...
for the second-most strikeouts in franchise history. Kershaw started 10 games for the Dodgers in 2020, with a 6–2 record, 2.16 ERA and 62 strikeouts. He started the second game of the
wild card series The Wild Card Series (formerly known as Wild Card Game from 2012 to 2019 and in 2021) are games that serve as the opening round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason. A single wild card game was first instituted in 2012; best-of-three ...
against the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
and threw eight scoreless innings while only allowing three hits and striking out 13. In the
NLDS In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
against the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
, he also started the second game and allowed three runs in six innings while striking out six. Kershaw was scratched from his scheduled Game 2 start in the
NLCS The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
against the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
because of back spasms and started Game 4 instead, where he allowed four runs in five innings for his first loss of the 2020 postseason. He started the first game of the
2020 World Series The 2020 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's 2020 season. The 116th World Series was a best-of-seven-playoff between the American League (AL) champion Tampa Bay Rays and the National League (NL) champion Los A ...
against the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
, tying
Greg Maddux Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Maddux is best known for his accomplishments while playing for the Atlanta Braves ...
for second place all-time with 11 Game 1 starts in the postseason. He allowed only one run in six innings in the game while striking out eight, in the process passing John Smoltz for second place all-time in postseason strikeouts with 201. Kershaw started again in Game 5, pitching innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out six in the game to pass Justin Verlander for the most strikeouts in postseason history (207). The Dodgers went on to defeat the Rays in 6 games to win Kershaw his first World Series championship. After the season, Kershaw was named to the All-MLB Second Team.


2021 season: Third injury plagued year

Kershaw made his ninth opening day start for the Dodgers, after having missed doing so the previous two seasons because of injuries. He remained in the rotation until July 7, when he was placed on the injured list with left forearm inflammation, the first time in his career he had gone on the IL with an arm injury. Initially it was hoped he would only miss a short time, but he had setbacks in his rehab which necessitated a longer stint on the injured list. He finally rejoined the Dodgers rotation on September 13, allowing only one run in innings against the Diamondbacks. However, he experienced more arm pain in an October 1 game against the Brewers, causing him to leave the game in the second inning. An MRI showed no ligament damage, but Kershaw was placed back on the injured list and ruled out for the 2021 post-season. He started 22 games for the Dodgers during the season, with a 10–8 record and 3.55 ERA, the highest since his rookie season.


2022 season: Franchise strikeout record

On March 13, 2022, Kershaw signed a one year deal worth $17 million to return to the Dodgers. In his first start of the season, on April 13 against the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
, Kershaw struck out 13 batters in seven perfect innings before he was removed by the manager. Despite only being at 80 pitches, Kershaw said he agreed with the decision because he had not been built up due to a shortened spring training caused by the offseason lockout. On April 30, Kershaw struck out
Dustin Garneau Dustin Thomas Garneau (born August 13, 1987) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros and Det ...
of the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
to tie Don Sutton for the Dodgers franchise strikeout record at 2,696. One inning later, he struck out Spencer Torkelson to move past Sutton into sole possession of the record. On July 15, Kershaw had another perfect game bid against the
Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
, where he threw seven perfect innings until it was broken up by a double by Luis Rengifo. He became the first person since 1961 to bring two perfect games into the eight inning in the same season. Kershaw was chosen to start the
2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 92nd Major League Baseball All-Star Game, held between the American League (AL) and the National League (NL) of Major League Baseball (MLB). The game was hosted by the Los Angeles Dodgers at ...
in front of his home crowd at
Dodger Stadium Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ...
. It was his ninth All-Star selection and the first time he was chosen to start. In his one inning of work, he allowed one hit and one walk with a strikeout and picked off
Shohei Ohtani , nicknamed "Shotime", is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher, designated hitter and outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional ...
from first base, the first pickoff in an all-star game since
Carlos Zambrano Carlos Alberto Zambrano Matos (born June 1, 1981), nicknamed "Big Z" or "El Toro", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2001 to 2012 for the Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins. Zambrano ...
did it in
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
. Kershaw made 22 starts in 2022, finishing with a 12–3 record and 2.28 ERA. Following the season, Kershaw again re-signed with the Dodgers, for one year and $15 million, with a $5 million signing bonus.


Pitching style

Kershaw's pitching style relies on deception, movement, and changes of velocity. He keeps the ball hidden so that it is hard for the batter to pick up the ball, and has a consistent overhand delivery on all of his pitches. He also consistently lands low on the strike zone below the catcher's knees, causing batters to chase the ball even when it is clearly going to hit the dirt. Out of the windup, Kershaw lowers his right foot vertically with a slight pause before moving it forward toward the plate. The motion was described during the 2015 National League Division Series as a "kickstand move," drawing a comparison with one setting a kickstand on a bicycle. Out of the stretch, he uses a slide step as it makes it difficult for a baserunner at first base to get a read on him. He has often said that he modeled his pitching mechanics after his favorite pitcher growing up,
Roger Clemens William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "Rocket", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Boston Red Sox. Clemens was one of the most dominant pi ...
. Kershaw's repertoire includes a
four-seam fastball A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the hardest (i.e., fastest) ball thrown by a pitcher. It is c ...
that sits anywhere from to and in his younger years topped out at with late movement, a slider at –, a
12–6 curveball The 12–6 curveball is one of the types of pitches thrown in baseball. It is categorized as a breaking ball because of its downward break. The 12–6 curveball, unlike the normal curveball (also referred to as the "11 to 5 curve" or a "2 to 8 c ...
between –, and a seldom thrown
changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
(under 3%). As of late in the 2015 season, he is believed to be experimenting with the use of a cutter. He is also known for having one of the better
pickoff In baseball, a pickoff is an act by a pitcher or catcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder can tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base. A pickoff attempt occurs when this throw ...
moves to first base and is considered one of the better fielding pitchers in the game. According to
Al Leiter Alois Terry Leiter (; born October 23, 1965) is an American former professional baseball player and current television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from to for the New York Yankees, Toronto Blu ...
in the 2018 season, the average spin rate of his curve ball was listed to be barely above league average (2497 rpm, 2484 rpm league average), but he is still able to use the pitch effectively due to better control and location, and having similar release action to Sandy Koufax.


Preparation

As noted by many teammates, Kershaw is a perfectionist. Kershaw's former teammate and close friend, catcher
A.J. Ellis Andrew James Ellis (born April 9, 1981), is an American former professional baseball catcher who is currently a Special Assistant to the General Manager in the front office of the San Diego Padres. Ellis played in Major League Baseball (MLB) ...
, describes Kershaw's preparation and perfectionism during
bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
sessions prior to each start:


Awards and accomplishments


Awards


Annual statistical achievements

Notes: ''Through 2017 season. Per Baseball-Reference.com.''


Personal life

Kershaw grew up in
Highland Park, Texas Highland Park is a town in central Dallas County, Texas, United States. The population was 8,864 in 2020. It is located between the Dallas North Tollway and U.S. Route 75 (North Central Expressway), north of downtown Dallas. Highland Park is b ...
and attended school with
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Am ...
Matthew Stafford John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia, where he was a first-team All-American, and was selected ...
. In 2017 Stafford and Kershaw, members of the Highland Park High School class of 2006, were the highest-paid players in their respective leagues. One of his favorite players growing up was former San Francisco Giants
first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
Will Clark William Nuschler Clark Jr. (born March 13, 1964) is an American professional baseball first baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 through 2000. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles ...
, and the main reason he wears number 22 is to honor Clark. He is the great-nephew of astronomer
Clyde Tombaugh Clyde William Tombaugh (February 4, 1906 January 17, 1997) was an American astronomer. He discovered Pluto in 1930, the first object to be discovered in what would later be identified as the Kuiper belt. At the time of discovery, Pluto was cons ...
, the discoverer of
Pluto Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of trans-Neptunian object, bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the S ...
. Kershaw's mother, born Marianne Tombaugh, is the adopted daughter of Clyde Tombaugh's younger brother, Robert Tombaugh. His father, Christopher George Kershaw, was a musician and won a Clio Award for his work. The elder Kershaw remarried after his divorce from Marianne and died in 2013. On December 4, 2010, Kershaw married his girlfriend of seven years, Ellen Melson. The couple have four children together. During the season, they reside in
Studio City, California Studio City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 192 ...
, and they live in
University Park, Texas University Park is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States of America, in suburban Dallas. The population was 23,068 at the 2010 census. The city is home to Southern Methodist University. University Park is bordered on the north, east and we ...
, during the offseason. Kershaw is a
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...
with strong religious faith, and shared his faith story in a 2012 video for the I Am Second series. Kershaw made a
cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...
in "
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...
", a Season 3 episode of ''
New Girl ''New Girl'' is an American television sitcom created by Elizabeth Meriwether and produced by 20th Television for Fox that originally aired from September 20, 2011, to May 15, 2018. The series revolves around a kooky teacher, Jessica Day ( Zoo ...
'' that originally aired following FOX's telecast of
Super Bowl XLVIII Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for th ...
. Kershaw's nickname is "Kersh."


Humanitarian work

Before the 2011 season, Kershaw visited
Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...
with his wife as part of a Christian mission organized by Dallas-based Arise Africa. After the trip, he announced his dream of building an orphanage in
Lusaka Lusaka (; ) is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is one of the fastest-developing cities in southern Africa. Lusaka is in the southern part of the central plateau at an elevation of about . , the city's population was about 3.3 millio ...
, which he called "Hope's Home" after 11-year-old Hope, an HIV-positive child Kershaw met in Zambia. To accomplish his goal, Kershaw pledged a donation of $100 per strikeout recorded in 2011. With a then-career-high of 248 strikeouts thrown during the 2011 season, combined with additional donations through his ''Kershaw's Challenge'' organization, the initial $70,000 goal - later increased to $100,000 - was exceeded. When Kershaw won the 2011 Players Choice Award, he donated $260,000 to Hope's Home. He and his wife returned to Zambia in 2012. Kershaw donated $100 for every strikeout in the 2012 season to Kershaw's Challenge, calling that season's incarnation of the project "Strike Out To Serve." Seventy percent of the money raised in 2012 went to Arise Africa, with 10 percent each going to the Peacock Foundation in Los Angeles, Mercy Street in Dallas, and I Am Second. In 2014, Kershaw continued to support the children of Zambia, in partnership with
CURE International CURE International (also known as CURE, formerly Crippled Children's United Rehabilitation Effort or CCURE or C²URE) is a Christian nonprofit organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. CURE's efforts are focused on providing medical care to ...
, raising funds to pay for 170 children's surgeries and new medical equipment for CURE hospital in Lusaka. Kershaw continued his partnership with CURE International in 2015, setting a goal of funding 100 surgeries for CURE's hospital in the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
. In mid-December 2015, Kershaw participated in an expedition to
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...
composed of MLB officials and players, including former Dodgers
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activitie ...
Joe Torre Joseph Paul Torre (; born July 18, 1940) is an American professional baseball executive, serving as a special assistant to the Commissioner of Baseball since 2020. He previously served in the capacity of Major League Baseball's (MLB) chief baseb ...
. It was the first visit by MLB since 1999, and one anticipated as an important step to help normalize relations with the United States that had begun to ease earlier in the year. In addition to Hope's Home and Kershaw's Challenge, he has also helped with other programs in Los Angeles, such as helping
Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or Habitat, is a US non-governmental, and nonprofit organization which was founded in 1976 by couple Millard and Linda Fuller. Habitat for Humanity is a C ...
demolish and rehabilitate a house in
Lynwood, California Lynwood is a city in Los Angeles County, California. At the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 69,772, down from 69,845 at the 2000 census. Lynwood is located near South Gate and Compton in the central portion of the Los Angeles ...
. He is also a supporter of the Peacock Foundation, which provides animal-assisted interventions and activities for at-risk youth by partnering with mental health practitioners, public service agencies and community organizations. Since the 2013 season, Kershaw and his wife have hosted “Ping Pong 4 Purpose,” a charity ping-pong tournament at Dodger Stadium. The tournament raises money for Kershaw's Challenge and features past and present members of the Dodgers, high-profile celebrities, and team sponsors.


Author

Kershaw and his wife, Ellen, co-authored a book, ''Arise: Live Out Your Faith and Dreams on Whatever Field You Find Yourself'', about their Christian faith and humanitarian efforts. It was released on January 10, 2012, by Regal Press.


Endorsements

Kershaw is a
celebrity endorser Celebrity branding or celebrity endorsement is a form of advertising campaign or marketing strategy which uses a celebrity's fame or social status to promote a product, brand or service, or to raise awareness about an issue. Marketers use celebr ...
for
Wilson Sporting Goods The Wilson Sporting Goods Company is an American sports equipment manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois. The company has been a subsidiary of Finnish multinational company Amer Sports since 1989, and is, in turn, now under the Chinese Anta Spor ...
(glove),
Muscle Milk CytoSport is an American manufacturer of sports-oriented nutritional products, or "supplements" based in Benicia, California. It offers a line of protein-enhanced powders, shakes, and bars, and has broken into the mainstream market with a ready- ...
,
Skechers Skechers USA, Inc. is an American multinational footwear company. Headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California, it was founded in 1992 and is now the third largest footwear brand in the United States. History Skechers was founded in 1992 by Rob ...
and
Subway Subway, Subways, The Subway, or The Subways may refer to: Transportation * Subway, a term for underground rapid transit rail systems * Subway (underpass), a type of walkway that passes underneath an obstacle * Subway (George Bush Intercontin ...
.


See also

* List of Los Angeles Dodgers no-hitters *
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders The following is a list of annual leaders in shutouts in Major League Baseball (MLB). A shutout occurs when a single pitcher throws a complete game and does not allow the opposing team to score a single run. Walter Johnson holds the career shu ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of inn ...
* List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders *
List of Major League Baseball career WHIP leaders In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. WHIP reflects a pitcher's propensity for allowing batters to reach base, theref ...
*
List of people from Dallas The following is a list of notable people who were born, or who have lived a significant portion of their lives in Dallas, Texas. A *Vinnie Paul Abbott, musician *Amy Acker, actress *Jensen Ackles, actor * Mike Agnew, soccer player *Jeff Agoos ...
*
List of World Series starting pitchers The following is a chronological list of the starting pitchers for each World Series game contested in Major League Baseball. Each pitcher's Win–loss record (pitching), win–loss record for World Series starts, cumulative through the game in q ...
*
Los Angeles Dodgers award winners and league leaders This is a list of award winners and league leaders for the Los Angeles Dodgers professional baseball franchise, including its years in Brooklyn (1883–1957). Awards Most Valuable Player (NL) * Brooklyn ** – Jake Daubert **1924 – Dazzy Vance ...
*
List of Los Angeles Dodgers team records The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Los Angeles, California. The list of the Dodgers' team records includes batting and pitching records for both individual players and the team as a whole. Individual career r ...
* ''USA Today'' All-USA high school baseball team


References


External links


Minor League Baseball bio
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kershaw, Clayton 1988 births Living people Methodists from Texas Baseball players from Dallas Cy Young Award winners Gold Glove Award winners Great Lakes Loons players Gulf Coast Dodgers players Jacksonville Suns players Los Angeles Dodgers players Major League Baseball pitchers National League All-Stars National League ERA champions National League Most Valuable Player Award winners National League Pitching Triple Crown winners National League strikeout champions National League wins champions Oklahoma City Dodgers players Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players Tulsa Drillers players United States national baseball team players