Kershaw closes out historic career

Los Angeles, CA (News4usOnline) – Early in the week, pitcher Clayton Kershaw announced his retirement from baseball at the end of the 2025 season.

On Friday night in front of a packed Dodger Stadium, Kershaw took the mound against the San Francisco Giants, trying to knock off LA’s most hated rival.

The Dodgers defeated the Giants, 6-3. Kershaw achieved an emotional victory, one that cannot be measured in the Major League Baseball standings. Kershaw pitched the final regular-season game of his career, going 4 1/3 innings and registering six strikeouts.

His last punchout came in the top of the fifth inning. Shortly after that, with his teammates gathered around the pitching mound and manager Dave Roberts slowly making his way to the gathering spot, Kershaw was done, calling it a career after 18 full seasons.

It was an emotional farewell for Kershaw as teammates applauded and Roberts gave the left-handed pitcher a warm embrace. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, basketball Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Vanessa Bryant, the widow of the great Kobe Bryant, were all on hand to say goodbye to Kershaw.

Stoically, as he made his way to the dugout, Kershaw gave a hand to both the Giants and Dodgers fans, making his impending exit. Graciously, with fans calling out his name, Kershaw obliged them with a curtain call. And then he was gone. History was left on the mound.

And for one last time, Kershaw called up the determination and grit that have made him an all-time great and a Dodger legend. It wasn’t easy. He gave up a home run to Heliot Ramos, the very first batter he faced. The first thought that came to mind was that it might be a very short appearance for Kershaw.

Much like he has done throughout his well-decorated career, Kershaw regrouped and re-focused. You don’t win three Cy Young Awards, become a two-time World Series champ, and an 11-time MLB All-Star like Kershaw by folding up camp when things get too difficult. Kershaw kept his poise.

So did the Dodgers. In the bottom of the fifth, the same inning that saw Kershaw leave the field, the Dodgers, backed by solo home runs by Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, scored four runs and didn’t look back.

The Dodgers clinched a playoff birth and are up on the San Diego Padres by four games in the National League West Division.