Clayton Kershaw has had a profession most pitchers can solely dream of. He received three Cy Younger Awards and made 11 All-Star groups, received the 2014 Nationwide League MVP and has earned two World Sequence titles. For good measure, he is thrown a no-hitter, has led the NL 3 times in each wins and strikeouts, and earned the Pitching Triple Crown in 2011. Maybe simply as impressively, all of Kershaw’s accomplishments occurred with one workforce. He is spent 18 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and now, he is calling it quits.
Kershaw introduced right this moment that this season shall be his final one within the majors. His last residence begin is on Friday, September 19. When he hangs up his cleats on the finish of the 12 months, he’ll achieve this as one of many highest-earning gamers in MLB historical past.
Per Spotrac, Kershaw’s profession earnings will wind up at $314,676,411. That places him seventh on the highest earners record of all time, and he is the fourth highest-paid pitcher ever.
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Kershaw will not maintain onto that seventh slot for lengthy; Mike Trout is about $11.5 million behind Kershaw. After this season, Trout nonetheless has 5 years left on his contract, which was a report when he signed it, price $426.5 million over 12 seasons. Nonetheless, retiring comfortably as a top-ten earner in MLB historical past is a serious accomplishment.
Final season, Kershaw seemed like he is likely to be out of gasoline. He underwent shoulder surgical procedure through the 2023 offseason and missed the primary half of the 2024 marketing campaign. When he returned, he solely managed 30 innings in seven begins, ending with a 2-2 report and a 4.50 ERA, earlier than bowing out with a bone spur in his massive left toe. All of these numbers had been profession lows.
Kershaw missed the start of this season following surgical procedure on his toe and left knee. But when he returned, he is seemed just like the dominant ace of his prime. No matter what occurs in his last few video games, he’ll retire with over 3,000 strikeouts, effectively over 200 wins, and an ERA round 2.50. These are incredible numbers. He is a sure-fire lock for the Corridor of Fame and shall be eligible starting in 2031.
He may additionally exit as a champion, too. The Dodgers received the World Sequence final 12 months and are among the many favorites as we headed into the postseason. It could be a mighty high quality cherry on high of a really spectacular profession.
