Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 18 seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-handed starting pitcher, Kershaw was an 11-time National League (NL) All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2014 NL Most Valuable Player. He is one of 20 pitchers and four left-handers to be members of the 3,000 strikeout club. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.

Kershaw was drafted by the Dodgers with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2006 MLB draft. He worked his way through the Dodgers' farm system and reached the majors at age 20 after one season. 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 in 1985. Kershaw pitched a no-hitter on June 18, 2014. He was on the roster of the 2020 and 2025 World Series-winning teams and received a ring from the 2024 team, missing the postseason due to injuries.

Kershaw was the first pitcher to lead the MLB in earned run average (ERA) in four consecutive years (2011–2014) and also led the NL in a fifth. He was also a three-time NL wins leader and strikeouts leader. His 2.53 career ERA is the lowest among starters in the live-ball era (with at least 60 starts). Despite his great regular season performance, Kershaw was less effective in the postseason, with a 4.62 earned run average in 196+2⁄3 innings pitched. He retired after the 2025 season.

Off the field, Kershaw participates in volunteer work. He and his wife Ellen launched "Kershaw's Challenge" and wrote the book Arise: Live Out Your Faith and Dreams on Whatever Field You Find Yourself to raise money to build an orphanage in Zambia. He received the Roberto Clemente Award and Branch Rickey Award for his humanitarian work.

Early life

Clayton Edward Kershaw was born on March 19, 1988, in Dallas, Texas. 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.

Kershaw attended nearby Highland Park High School, where he played baseball and was also the center for future NFL quarterback Matthew Stafford on the varsity football team. After a growth spurt and further development of his pitches, he established himself as an elite high school prospect in 2006 when he posted a 13–0 record with an earned run average (ERA) of 0.77, and recorded 139 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched. 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. He also hit a home run in the game. Kershaw was selected by USA Today as "High School Baseball Player of the Year", and was also the Gatorade National Player of the Year for baseball. He also pitched for the United States national under-18 team in the 2005 U-18 Pan American Championships.

Professional career

Draft and minor leagues

Entering the 2006 MLB draft, Kershaw was considered the consensus top high school pitcher available. The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Kershaw with the seventh overall pick in the draft. He had committed to Texas A&M University but turned down the scholarship offer to sign with the Dodgers, with a bonus estimated at $2.3 million. At the time, it was the largest bonus conferred on any Dodgers draft pick and remained so until it was topped by the $5.25 million that Zach Lee, another Texas high school pitcher, earned from the 2010 draft.

Kershaw began his professional career with the Gulf Coast League (GCL) Dodgers. He pitched 37 innings in 2006, striking out 54 batters while walking only five and compiling a record of 2–0 with a 1.95 ERA. His fastball topped out at 96 miles per hour (154 km/h). Baseball America rated him as the top prospect in the GCL and the Dodgers' second best prospect behind third baseman Andy LaRoche.

Kershaw was promoted to the Great Lakes Loons 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 All-Star Game and on the USA team in the All-Star Futures Game. On August 6, he was promoted to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns 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 in a game against the Boston Red Sox, Kershaw gained much attention for throwing a curveball to Sean Casey that started behind Casey but at the end looped into the strike zone and struck him out looking. Kershaw was 0–3 and had a 2.28 ERA with 47 strikeouts through 43+1⁄3 innings pitched in his first stint of the year with the Suns. He was then called up to the majors on May 24, 2008, but optioned 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 runs, lowering his ERA to 1.91. He was recalled on July 22.

Los Angeles Dodgers (2008–2025)

2008 season: Rookie year

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's MLB debut in 1995. He made his MLB debut on May 25, starting against the St. Louis Cardinals. 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 (20 years, 67 days), a title he held until Fernando Martínez debuted in May 2009.

Kershaw won his first MLB game against the Washington Nationals on July 27. 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 for the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the Philadelphia Phillies.

2009 season: Second year

On April 15, 2009, Kershaw pitched seven innings, striking out 13 batters while allowing only one hit (a solo home run) against the rival San Francisco Giants. On May 17, Kershaw did not allow a hit against the Florida Marlins through seven 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 (.282), and hits per nine innings (6.26). He also posted an ERA of 2.79 and 185 strikeouts. Kershaw also walked 91 batters, which was second most in the National League (NL).

Kershaw made his playoff starting debut against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series (NLDS). He went 6+2⁄3 innings, striking out four, walking one, and ended up getting a no-decision (the Dodgers went on to win the game in the ninth inning). At 21 years old, he started the opener of the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies and was the third youngest pitcher to ever start a playoff series opener, behind only Fernando Valenzuela in the 1981 NLDS and Rick Ankiel in the 2000 NLDS.

2010 season: First complete game shutout

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 at Dodger Stadium, throwing just 57 pitches in 1+1⁄3 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 eight-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 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 shutout on September 14, also against San Francisco and finished the season with a record of 13–10 and a 2.91 ERA in 32 starts, pitching 204+1⁄3 innings and recording 212 strikeouts.