Clayton

Kershaw

Kershaw officially retired from baseball after an 18-year career, but it seems like he’s hoping to make one final professional appearance. The future Hall of Famer has never pitched in the World Baseball Classic in his career, so this looks like a bucket list item for him. He’s unlikely to have a major role on a stacked pitching staff for Team USA. The 11-time All-Star posted a 3.36 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 84/35 K/BB ratio in 112 2/3 innings for the Dodgers in 2025 and went out a World Series champion.

Kershaw will work out of the bullpen for the Dodgers during the Fall Classic against the Blue Jays before hanging up his spikes after a legendary 18-year career. The 37-year-old future Hall of Famer was lit up for five runs — four earned — over two innings in his lone appearance out of the bullpen earlier this postseason against the Phillies. With Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani anchoring the rotation, Kershaw isn’t expected to play a major role in the World Series.

This could have been worse if not for a couple of baserunning mistakes by the Phillies. No gaffes on the bags could save him while allowing a pair of homers, however, and he issued three walks without picking up a strikeout. It was a reminder that Kershaw has been one of the best pitchers in the history of the sport in the regular season, with a mixed bag — at best — in the playoffs. The Dodgers aren’t likely to use Kershaw in a high-leverage situation anytime soon.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto gets the ball for Game 3 of the best-of-five series on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. It’s unclear at the moment whether Tyler Glasnow will take the ball for Game 4, if necessary, once the series shifts to Los Angeles after throwing 34 pitches in relief during Game 1. The Dodgers figure to have Clayton Kershaw available to follow Snell in relief on Monday evening after Shohei Ohtani fired six innings to help propel the club to a Game 1 victory.

As expected, Kershaw finds himself back in Los Angeles’ pitching plans to operate out of the bullpen to combat Philadelphia’s elite left sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper during the best-of-five series. Southpaw reliever Anthony Banda is also back on the roster as additional left-handed depth with Justin Wrobleski and Edgardo Hernandez left off.

Kershaw was left of the club’s Wild Card Series roster against the Reds after starting last weekend’s regular-season finale. It sounds like the Dodgers will go with a four-man rotation of Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, with Kershaw and Emmet Sheehan as a couple of the many weapons that Roberts will have at his disposal out of the bullpen. The Phillies will certainly have their work cut out for them.

Kershaw was excellent in what will be his final start — in the regular season, at least — in his impressive career. He allowed just four hits and issued just one walk to finish 2025 with a 3.36 ERA. The win gives him 11 in 2025, and 223 overall for the assured Hall of Famer. Kershaw won’t be on the Wild Card Series roster, but could be available out of the bullpen — or perhaps a start — if Los Angeles advances.

Roberts told reporters Kershaw will be an option for the club in some capacity, most likely in relief, if they advance to the NLDS. However, the 37-year-old veteran won’t be available in the next few days after making the final regular-season start of his remarkable 18-year career on Sunday against the Mariners. It’s an interesting development for fantasy managers since Kershaw will attempt to go as long as possible during the club’s regular-season finale in Seattle.

Well, that’s interesting. Kershaw was used in the ninth inning of a tie game, and he didn’t allow a hit, didn’t walk anyone nor strike anyone out. It’s curious to see with Kershaw scheduled to start Friday, and while it’s still possible he pitches in that game, maybe Los Angeles is going to use Kershaw in relief for the remainder of 2025. Enquiring minds need to know, but there should be more clarity soon.

This was the final regular-season start for Kershaw in Los Angeles to close out an 18-year career, and it certainly could have gone better. He allowed a solo homer to Heliot Ramos to begin the game, and he had issues finding the strike zone; walking four and throwing just 56 of 91 pitches for strikes. It wasn’t the storybook ending to a legendary career, but something tells us that Kershaw’s Hall of Fame chances weren’t diminished by this one. The 37-year-old’s final regular-season start is scheduled to take place Friday against the Mariners, but there’s obviously a chance the Dodgers re-shuffle their rotation order.