Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw turned 30 years old on Monday. It’s a tricky age, as most pitchers begin to see a decline in performance after hitting that mark.
But Kershaw isn’t like most pitchers. For the left-hander, age is just a number. Since entering the league in 2008, Kershaw has seemingly gotten better with each passing year.
He owns a lifetime record of 144-64 in 1,935 innings, having posted a 2.36 ERA, 2.60 FIP and 1.00 WHIP with 2,120 strikeouts during the span.
Among pitchers in their age 20-29 seasons, Kershaw ranks second all-time in win-loss percentage (.692), third in strikeouts (2,120), third in ERA+ (161) and fourth in strikeout percentage (27.9).
Those video game-type numbers have equated to 58.8 WAR, per Baseball-Reference’s calculations. That places Kershaw in legendary territory, with just four other pitches who have either matched or exceeded that total before turning 30.
To no surprise, Kershaw earned a plethora of accolades during his 20s, with his most impressive feat arguably being named the National League MVP in 2014. Kershaw became the first NL pitcher to capture that honor since Bob Gibson in 1968.
Kershaw also won the NL pitching Triple Crown in 2011, when he led the league in wins (21), ERA (2.28) and strikeouts (248). It’s a rare accomplishment to say the least, as no pitcher has claimed the prestigious title ever since.
Furthermore, Kershaw has stockpiled three Cy Young Awards, in addition to seven overall top-5 finishes in Cy Young voting. He most recently took home honors in 2014, as part of his MVP campaign, where he posted minuscule numbers across the board, including ERA (1.77), FIP (1.81) and WHIP (0.86).
Not coincidentally, Kershaw also threw his lone no-hitter to date in 2014, as well as being named the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award — an honor given to a player for their accomplishments on the field and extensive contributions to the community.
On five separate occasions, Kershaw has led the National League in ERA — most recently during the 2017 season. It was also the seventh consecutive year in which he was selected to the All-Star Game.
That kind of success has put Kershaw in the conversation with some of the best left-handed pitchers to ever take the mound. For comparison, Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax compiled a 138-78 record before turning 30 years old, with a 2.93 ERA, 2,079 strikeouts, five All-Star selections, two Cy Young Awards and one-time MVP honor.
Randy Johnson, who spent the majority of his Hall-of-Fame career with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners, was 68-56 with a 3.78 ERA, 1,126 strikeouts and two All-Star Game nods prior to his 30th birthday.
The only accomplishment missing from Kershaw’s résumé is a World Series championship. And while the Dodgers fell one win short last season, they remain in strong position to contend for future titles, given its young core and envious depth.
Kershaw pitched to a 4.02 ERA in three Fall Classic appearances, which isn’t far off from his career postseason ERA of 4.35. For all the criticism — sometimes unwarranted — he receives for his playoff struggles, Kershaw still owns a solid 1.10 WHIP over 122 career innings with excellent peripherals, including 10.3 strikeouts and 2.7 walks per nine.
Kershaw is set to make more Dodgers history later this month when he takes the mound for his franchise-record eighth consecutive Opening Day start.
“I’m not a very reflective person, but I don’t take for granted the time I’ve been here,” Kershaw said. “No doubt about it. Hopefully I get to do it for a little bit longer.”
Kershaw will have an opportunity to opt out of his seven-year contract at the conclusion of the 2018 season. Assuming he’s healthy and effective as always, that possibility is almost a given.
Kershaw would join a stacked 2019 free agent class that’s set to include the likes of Josh Donaldson, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and Andrew Miller, among others. Given his legacy and impact in the organization, every effort will be made to assure that Kershaw remains in a Dodgers uniform for the entirety of his career.
In most cases, clubs that overpay pitchers for sentimental purposes usually wind up regretting it in the longterm.
But Kershaw isn’t like most pitchers. For the left-hander, age is just a number.
