Born: (1988-03-19) March 19, 1988 (age 36) Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
May 25, 2008, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics (through 2023 season)
Win–loss record
210–92
Earned run average
2.48
Strikeouts
2,944
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (2008–2023)
Career highlights and awards
10× All-Star (2011–2017, 2019, 2022, 2023)
World Series champion (2020)
NL MVP (2014)
All-MLB Second Team (2020)
3× NL Cy Young Award (2011, 2013, 2014)
Triple Crown (2011)
Gold Glove Award (2011)
Roberto Clemente Award (2012)
3× NL wins leader (2011, 2014, 2017)
5× NL ERA leader (2011–2014, 2017)
3× NL strikeout leader (2011, 2013, 2015)
Pitched a no-hitter on June 18, 2014
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). 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. His 2.48 career earned run average (ERA) and 1.00 walks plus hits per inning pitched rate (WHIP) are the lowest among starters in the live-ball era (minimum 1,000 innings pitched).[1][2] Kershaw has a career hits allowed per nine innings pitched average of 6.82, the third-lowest in MLB history.[3] He has been described for much of his career as the best pitcher in baseball, and one of the greatest pitchers of all time.[4]
Kershaw was drafted seventh overall in the 2006 MLB draft. He worked his way through the Dodgers' farm system in just one full season and reached the majors at 20 years old. When he debuted in 2008, he was the youngest player in MLB, a title he held for one full year. 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.
During the 2013 offseason, the Dodgers signed Kershaw to a franchise record seven-year, $215 million contract extension. Kershaw pitched a no-hitter on June 18, 2014, becoming the 22nd Dodger to do so. Being a left-handed pitcher and playing for the Dodgers drew Kershaw comparisons to Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax early in his career.[5] He has led MLB in ERA five times, and was the first major league pitcher to do so in four consecutive years (2011–2014).[6] Kershaw is also a three-time NL wins leader and three-time NL strikeouts leader.
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 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.
^Normandin, Mark (May 15, 2013). "Clayton Kershaw, historically relevant ace". SB Nation. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
^"Major League Leaderboards » 2020 » Pitchers » Dashboard | FanGraphs Baseball". www.fangraphs.com. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
^"Career Leaders & Records for Hits per 9 IP". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
^J.S. (September 19, 2017). "Why fans are riveted by Giancarlo Stanton's race for seventh place". The Economist.
^Jackson, Tony (August 4, 2011). "Clayton Kershaw: The stuff of legend?". ESPN. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
^Ronald Blum, "Kershaw 1st to lead majors in ERA 4 straight years," Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Yahoo! Sports, September 28, 2014.
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). A...
pitcher to do so in the National League, and ClaytonKershaw is the youngest left-hander to do so. ClaytonKershaw is the youngest pitcher to win a third Cy...
2023 World Series, 12 Dodger players became free agents: Pitchers ClaytonKershaw, Jimmy Nelson, Ryan Brasier, Shelby Miller, and Julio Urías, outfielders...
below the 3000-strikeout mark, with the next closest pitcher being ClaytonKershaw with 2,944 strikeouts. Greinke is also one of only 5 pitchers (Nolan...
Place ClaytonKershaw On Injured List, Recall Dustin May". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved July 23, 2020. Gurnick, Ken (July 28, 2020). "Wood on IL; Kershaw (back)...
B. Smoove. The Red Sox started Chris Sale against the Dodgers' ClaytonKershaw. Kershaw became the first pitcher to start the first game of the World Series...
Series preview: ClaytonKershaw gets things started, again". True Blue LA. Retrieved October 21, 2020. "World Series: Dodgers' ClaytonKershaw Passes John...
stolen bases and triples and ClaytonKershaw led the major leagues in earned run average and wins. In addition, both Kershaw and Josh Beckett pitched no-hitters...
was the first complete game of Sánchez's career. On June 18, 2014, ClaytonKershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers threw a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies...
during the 1920s ClaytonKershaw (born 1988), American baseball player Devon Kershaw (born 1982), Canadian cross-country skier Doug Kershaw (born 1936), American...
free agents: pitchers Tyler Anderson, Andrew Heaney, Tommy Kahnle, ClaytonKershaw, Craig Kimbrel, Chris Martin, David Price, shortstop Trea Turner and...
2011). "L.A. Dodgers' ClaytonKershaw named Warren Spahn Award winner". The Oklahoman. Retrieved October 20, 2011. "ClaytonKershaw Statistics and History"...
leader 2008 Succeeded by ClaytonKershaw Preceded by Chris Young NL opponent batting average leader 2008 Succeeded by ClaytonKershaw Preceded by Ben Sheets...
became free agents: pitchers Danny Duffy, Cole Hamels, Kenley Jansen, ClaytonKershaw, Corey Knebel, Jimmy Nelson and Max Scherzer, first baseman Albert...
second-lowest ERA of all pitchers with at least 750 innings pitched (behind ClaytonKershaw), managing a 2.94 ERA alongside a 90–51 (.638) record in 1,256+1⁄3...
in Dodgers' team history and the 11th since moving to Los Angeles. ClaytonKershaw (LAD): Pitched the first no-hitter of his career on June 18 against...
by percentage (min. 100 starts): Jacob deGrom (136 of 183, 74.3%) ClaytonKershaw (260 of 354, 73.4%) Jeff Tesreau (148 of 207, 71.5%) Babe Ruth (105...
Stanton hit a three-run home run off of Dodgers ace ClaytonKershaw. It was the first three-run homer Kershaw had allowed in 844 innings. From July 5–6, Stanton...
Giants. ClaytonKershaw made the opening day start for the third straight season and pitched a complete-game shutout as the Dodgers won 4–0. Kershaw also...
battle was for the last couple of spots in the starting rotation behind ClaytonKershaw, Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda. In the mix were veterans Brandon McCarthy...
Verlander with 257, Zack Greinke with 225, Max Scherzer with 214, and ClaytonKershaw with 210. The next active player on the list, Gerrit Cole, ended the...
became the first pitcher in either league to be named the MVP since ClaytonKershaw in 2014, and the first in the American League since Justin Verlander...
Bill Bonham in 1974, and the first Opening Day shutout in MLB since ClaytonKershaw in 2013. In 2020 he was 6–5 with a 2.88 ERA. He led the NL in fewest...
awards by a player in the National League with Christy Mathewson and ClaytonKershaw. In the American League, Walter Johnson also won five ERA titles, and...
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