Clayton Kershaw, the iconic Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander who won three Cy Youngs with the franchise and left an indelible mark as perhaps the best pitcher of his generation, is retiring after 18 seasons.The Dodgers announced Kershaw’s decision a day ahead of what will be his 228th and final home regular-season start at Dodger Stadium.The 37-year-old, who has been with the organization since being selected in the first round of the 2006 MLB Draft, became the 20th member of the 3,000-strikeout club in July and has been consistent about wanting to decide his playing future yearly. He has also been adamant over the past couple of seasons that he would only want to pitch for the Dodgers.“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,” said Mark Walter, Owner and Chairman, Los Angeles Dodgers. “His is a truly legendary career, one that we know will lead to his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”
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— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 18, 2025“The Dodgers have stuck with me, too,” Kershaw said in July when he crossed the 3,000-strikeout mark. “It hasn’t been all roses, I know that … I’m super grateful now, looking back, to get to say that I spent my whole career here and I will spend my whole career here.”Los Angeles is where he crafted a legacy, spanning multiple ownership groups and becoming the dramatic heart and face of years of close October misses and failures before the team broke through to win the 2020 World Series. When the Dodgers won again in 2024 and finally got a parade, the scene brought Kershaw to tears.“This is the best thing I’ve ever been a part of,” Kershaw said then.October is what kept bringing him back. However, with a postseason berth once again looming for the Dodgers, the rotation as currently constructed does not present Kershaw with a clear-cut path to starting a playoff game.Over 18 seasons, Kershaw’s accomplishments put him in the same company as Sandy Koufax, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, Don Drysdale and Don Sutton. From the time he was a promising young prospect, Kershaw developed a relationship with Koufax that evolved into a lasting friendship. When a statue of Koufax was erected at Dodger Stadium in 2022, Kershaw was the man chosen to speak about Koufax’s legacy.“Sandy,” Kershaw said at the dais that day, “one day, I hope I can impact someone the way you have championed me. You really have, left-handed pitcher or not, just in life.”
