After a World Series title, three Cy Young awards, and a legacy as the greatest left-handed pitcher of his generation, Clayton Kershaw has nothing left to prove.
The former Highland Park standout announced on Thursday he will retire at the end of this season, his 18th with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His next stop will be the Hall of Fame.
Kershaw, 37, has 222 career wins and surpassed the 3,000-strikeout milestone earlier this season. He remains the active leader in numerous statistical categories.
He became emotional on Thursday when discussing his decision — which he made after consultation with his wife, Ellen — and reflecting on his career with gratitude toward his teammates, coaches, and team staff.
“I’m at peace with it. I think it’s the right time,” he said. “I’m going to miss it. It felt like everything had come together. I can’t think of a better season to go out.”
Even with diminished velocity this season following recovery from injuries, Kershaw is 10-2 with a 3.53 earned-run average and hopes to lead the Dodgers on another postseason run. He is scheduled to make his final Dodger Stadium start on Friday against the San Francisco Giants.
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