The Los Angeles Dodgers obviously want to give legendary left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw a proper send-off after a sensational near-two decade run with the franchise, but they are also extremely motivated to win their second straight World Series championship. Many fans are wondering if both things can be accomplished, or does sentiment clash with ambition in this specific instance? Based on the latest news, LA believes No. 22 can help it stay on top.
Longtime manager Dave Roberts revealed that Kershaw will be on the Dodgers' roster for their best-of-seven, season-ending showdown with the Toronto Blue Jays, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez.
Following a rough relief outing versus the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, it was unclear if Kershaw would receive another opportunity to take the mound before he officially retires. The Dodgers kept the 37-year-old on the active squad for the NL Championship Series, but they did not use him in their sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. A solid showing versus the Blue Jays en route to another title would be the perfect way for Kershaw to end his final October run.
But does he still have what it takes to do that? The 2014 MVP, three-time Cy Young Award winner and five-time ERA king posted a fine 2025 regular season, recording a 3.36 ERA with 84 strikeouts and a .663 OPS against in 112 2/3 innings of work. He is still a pillar of consistency for large stretches of time. However, the playoffs are often a great source of adversity for him.
Clayton Kershaw owns a 4.63 ERA in almost 200 postseason innings. That statistic will be the unfortunate “but” that people utter when reflecting on what is an otherwise absurdly amazing MLB career. It would be quite poetic if the future Hall of Famer and all-time great southpaw can ride off into the sunset after thriving in the Fall Classic.
The Dodgers will presumably afford him the chance to attain that eternal moment of glory at some point during the 2025 World Series. Game 1 is on Friday night, starting at approximately 8 p.m. ET.
