| Clayton Kershaw | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Kershaw with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015 | |
| Free agent | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: March 19, 1988 Dallas, Texas, U.S. | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 25, 2008, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 212–94 |
| Earned run average | 2.50 |
| Strikeouts | 2,968 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers. A left-handed starting pitcher, Kershaw has spent his entire MLB career with the Dodgers since debuting in 2008. He is a ten-time All-Star, three-time National League (NL) Cy Young Award winner, the 2014 NL Most Valuable Player, and a World Series champion in 2020.[1] He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.[2]
Kershaw was drafted by the Dodgers in the first round of the 2006 MLB draft and was the seventh overall pick. He worked his way through the Dodgers' farm system in just one full season and reached the majors at 20 years old. 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, becoming the 22nd Dodger to do so.
He was the first major league pitcher to lead MLB in ERA in four consecutive years (2011–2014) and also led the NL in a fifth.[3] Kershaw is also a three-time NL wins leader and strikeouts leader. His 2.50 career earned run average (ERA) is the lowest among starters in the live-ball era (min. 1,000 innings pitched).[4] Despite his great regular season performances, however, Kershaw has struggled and been inconsistent during the postseason, with a 4.49 earned run average in 194.1 innings pitched over 39 appearances, 32 of which were starts.[5]
Off the field, Kershaw is an active participant 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 has been honored with the Roberto Clemente Award and the Branch Rickey Award for his humanitarian work.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
brwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Jacobson, Cole (October 2, 2023). "A different version of Kershaw is still key to Dodgers' success". MLB. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ Bum, Ronald (September 28, 2014). "Kershaw 1st to lead majors in ERA 4 straight years". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
- ^ "Active Leaders & Records for Earned Run Average". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
- ^ "Clayton Kershaw Postseason Game Log". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 13, 2024.