Clayton Kershaw, the legendary left-handed pitcher, has officially announced his retirement from baseball following the current season. The announcement was made by the Los Angeles Dodgers, with Kershaw’s final regular season start scheduled at Dodger Stadium this Friday. Mark Walter, owner and chairman of the Dodgers, expressed gratitude for Kershaw’s illustrious career, stating, “On behalf of the Dodgers, I congratulate Clayton on a fabulous career and thank him for the many moments he gave to Dodger fans and baseball fans everywhere, as well as for all of his profound charitable endeavors. His is a truly legendary career, one that we know will lead to his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”
In the coming weeks, Kershaw will conclude his remarkable career, having spent his entire tenure with the Dodgers—a rarity in modern baseball. Drafted with the seventh overall pick in 2006, Kershaw made his major league debut in 2008, showcasing his potential with a solid rookie season where he pitched 107 2/3 innings and allowed an earned run average (ERA) of 4.26. The following year, he made significant progress, posting a 2.79 ERA in 171 innings, and by 2010, he reached another milestone with a workload of 204 1/3 innings and a 2.91 ERA.
From 2011 to 2015, Kershaw entered a dominant phase of his career, consistently pitching over 227 innings in four out of five seasons. The only exception was in 2014 when a shoulder strain limited him to 198 1/3 innings. During this five-year stretch, Kershaw achieved an impressive 2.11 ERA with a strikeout rate of 28.6% and a walk rate of just 5.6%. He accumulated 37.1 wins above replacement (WAR) during this period, the highest in the majors, surpassing fellow pitcher Félix Hernández who had 26.2 fWAR.
Although injuries began to affect Kershaw’s performance in the later stages of his career, his ability to maintain quality remained intact. From 2016 to 2019, he consistently pitched between 140 to 180 innings, finishing each season with an ERA not exceeding 3.03. In the shortened 2020 season, he made ten starts with a standout 2.16 ERA. Kershaw’s tenure as one of the top pitchers coincided with a golden era for the Dodgers, who, after struggling in the early 2000s, have made the playoffs consistently since 2013.
In recent years, Kershaw’s injury struggles have intensified as he approached his late 30s, limiting him to 120-130 innings from 2021 to 2023. Despite this, he has maintained good performance metrics, including a 3.53 ERA in 102 innings this season. His career statistics are still being finalized, but as of now, Kershaw has pitched 2,844 2/3 innings, recorded a 2.54 ERA, and achieved 3,039 strikeouts. He is also credited with 78.7 WAR by FanGraphs and 80.4 by Baseball Reference, alongside his impressive postseason record.
Kershaw's accolades include 11 All-Star selections, three Cy Young Awards, and being named the National League Most Valuable Player in 2014—a rare achievement for a pitcher. He also threw a no-hitter that year and helped lead the Dodgers to World Series victories in 2020 and 2024, despite being on the injured list during the latter championship. As he prepares for his final game, MLB Trade Rumors celebrates Kershaw's extraordinary career and looks forward to his future endeavors post-retirement.
