Retirement is decided by my will Kershaw, Legendary Pick Career 11th All-Star Glory. Is this the last time?

Jul 07, 2025

Retirement is decided by my will Kershaw, Legendary Pick Career 11th All-Star Glory. Is this the last time?
LA Dodgers Clayton Kershaw returns to cheering fans after achieving 3,000 strikeouts against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium on the 3rd (Korea time). ImagesYonhap News



Los Angeles Dodgers Clayton Kershaw, who recently struck out 3,000 in his career, was selected as the 11th All-Star in his life.

MLB officially announced 32 rosters each representing AL and NL to play in the 95th Major League All-Star Game on the 7th (Korea time). In addition to the starting fielders selected by the first and second fan votes, pitchers and fielder reserves formed an all-star team representing both leagues.

Kershaw was selected with a special nomination other than 32. In other words, Commissioner Rob Manfred's 'Legend Pick' made him the 33rd player in the NL.




Kershaw struck out three in six innings against the Chicago White Sox on the 3rd, becoming the 20th player ever to join the 3,000 strikeout club. The final third strikeout was dramatic.

Kershaw, who took the mound in the top of the sixth inning when he was trailing 2-4 at the time, hit right-handed hitter Vinny Capra with an 85.3-mile slider to the outside of the fourth pitch in the ball count of 1B2S to achieve the long-awaited 3,000 strikeouts. It was 100 pitches.

Kershaw took off his hat to return to the fans who gave him a standing ovation as he entered the third-base dugout after the inning, then hugged his teammates one by one and enjoyed the joy.




Retirement is decided by my will Kershaw, Legendary Pick Career 11th All-Star Glory. Is this the last time?
Clayton Kershaw pitches against the Chicago White Sox on the 3rd (Korea time). ImagesYonhap News
Kershaw won four games and had a 3.43 ERA in nine games this season until his 3,000 strikeouts. He had 14 walks, 32 strikeouts, WHIP 1.25 and a 0.251 hit rate in 44 ⅔ innings. With this season's performance alone, it was difficult to be selected as an All-Star. However, he became the third active pitcher after Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer to mark the long-awaited 3,000 strikeouts in history, so he took the All-Star mound in recognition of his contribution.

Kershaw is now expected to take the mound considering retirement because he won the World Series, won three Cy Young Awards, one season MVP, and struck out 3,000, which he set as his final goal.

Kershaw hasn't played a full season since 2021. He was on the injured list once or twice every year, and last winter, he underwent surgery on his left knee and toe, so he was not able to make his first appearance of the season until May 18. MLB is also expecting this to be the last season of the 'Healthy' Kershaw.




However, Kershaw said during spring training in February that he hopes his rehab will be his last. It's almost over. At the same time, I don't want this to be a reason to take off your uniform. I wish I could retire at my will, no matter when. However, not now, he expressed his willingness to continue his active career with a healthy body.

In the 21st century, Kershaw continues his career as a one-club man who can be called a `rare species.' Kershaw, who joined as the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2006 draft, made his major league debut in 2008 and won three Cy Young Awards, and pitched 2,787 ⅓ innings in 441 appearances with a 216-94 ERA, 2.52 with 3,000 strikeouts, and ERA+ 155.

Retirement is decided by my will Kershaw, Legendary Pick Career 11th All-Star Glory. Is this the last time?
Kershaw was selected 11 times, the most among all-stars this year. ImagesYonhap News
According to MLB's list of all-stars in both leagues, the Dodgers produced the largest number of five. Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, catcher Will Smith and first baseman Freddie Freeman were selected by fan voting, and Kershaw and Yamamoto Yoshinobu were selected as MLB picks.

Fourteen players have been selected as All-Stars more than five times, including Kershaw, Freddie Freeman, Chris Sale (nine times), Aroldis Chapman (eight times), Aaron Judge, Manny Machado, Jose Ramirez (seven times), Josh Hader (six times), Ronald Acuña Jr., Pete Alonso, Jacob deGrom, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Shohei Ohtani and Francisco Lindor (five times).

This year's All-Star Game will be held on July 16 at Truist Park, home to the Atlanta Braves.





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.