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Friday night at Dodger Stadium will feature something baseball fans may never see again — two 3,000-strikeout legends squaring off in a battle of first-place teams. Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw, former Dodgers teammates and generational greats, are set to face each other for the fifth time in their careers, and the Blue Jays’ ace is savoring the opportunity.
“It’s awesome. This is what you play the game for,” Scherzer said. “Obviously, you want to face the best… I’m only going to say the best things about him, on and off the field. He’s a heck of a competitor.”
The two future Hall of Famers share remarkably parallel résumés — three Cy Young Awards apiece, World Series titles, All-Star nods, and a spot in the exclusive 3,000-strikeout club. Scherzer joined in 2021 while with the Dodgers; Kershaw became the 20th member earlier this season.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, this will be only the fourth game ever in which two pitchers with 3,000 strikeouts face each other after reaching the milestone.
Their history dates back to Sept. 7, 2008, when both were rookies. In a twist of fate, they replaced two other Hall of Fame-bound pitchers — Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux — who were scratched from a Dodgers-Diamondbacks matchup. That rookie duel, which saw Scherzer strike out 11 over five innings and Kershaw fan four in four frames, has since become a viral baseball meme.
Since then, their paths have crossed only a handful of times: in Game 1 of the 2016 NLDS, regular-season meetings in 2018 and 2021, and now this 2025 showdown. Along the way, both cemented their reputations as two of the fiercest competitors in modern baseball.
Two of best pitchers of all time will face off in Blue Jays-Dodgers game
Dodgers rookie lefty Jack Dreyer, whose locker sits near Kershaw’s said what sets both apart isn’t just talent but relentless work ethic.
“It’s not always easy to listen to guys if they’re talking to you about how to get better, but you don’t see them doing it. With him [Kershaw], it’s just so easy because I see him working his butt off every single day,” Dreyer said.
Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly, who managed Kershaw from 2011–15 in Los Angeles, noted that both pitchers are meticulous in preparation. He credited former Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt with helping Kershaw add a slider to his arsenal — a pitch that transformed him from a two-pitch fastball-curveball arm into a more complete ace.
Statistically, the comparison between Scherzer and Kershaw is razor-thin. Entering Friday, Scherzer has 218 wins, 3,451 strikeouts, and a 3.18 ERA across 18 seasons. Kershaw has 217 wins, 3,010 strikeouts, and a sparkling 2.52 ERA over the same span. Kershaw owns an MVP and five ERA titles; Scherzer has two no-hitters and more strikeout crowns.
While fans may circle this game for the marquee matchup, both veterans are locked in on the bigger picture — keeping their teams atop their divisions. Toronto leads the AL East by four games over Boston, while Los Angeles’ NL West lead over San Diego is down to two games.
“If you start putting the importance on this matchup with them and put your attention toward this, you are going to overlook some other things,” Scherzer said. “They won the World Series last year. They’re the champs. You want a shot at the champs. You want to beat them. That’s what this game is about.”
Kershaw echoed the sentiment, focusing on continual improvement even in the twilight of his career.
“You got to keep getting better because everybody else is,” he said. “You just got to keep going. I try to walk that line [between gratitude and contentment]. Sometimes, it doesn’t always work, but I try the best I can.”
Whether this is their final meeting or not, Scherzer vs. Kershaw in 2025 is a celebration of two careers that began with youthful promise, evolved into sustained dominance, and will one day share a place in Cooperstown. For one night in Los Angeles, the game will pause to watch two living legends write another chapter.
