Clayton Kershaw made his MLB debut on May 25, 2008, and became the 20th member of the 3,000-strikeout club over 17 years later.
He joined the exclusive club during Wednesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox by striking out Vinny Capra to end the sixth inning. The first strikeout of Kershaw’s illustrious career was Skip Schumaker during his 2008 debut against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Kershaw’s arrival in the Majors was highly anticipated because of his reputation as a can’t-miss prospect. Kershaw was the youngest player in MLB at the time of his debut, 20 years and 67 days old, and he held that title for a year.
Schumaker revealed the Cardinals had their reservations about the hype surrounding Kershaw, specifically about his now-iconic curveball, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
“Someone said they heard that he could be the next Rick Ankiel,” Schumaker tells USA TODAY Sports. “No way. There is no way his stuff could be as good as Rick Ankiel’s before he became a position player. So we are laughing that someone thought he could have a curveball as good as Ankiel’s.”
But it was Kershaw who had the last laugh, striking out seven Cardinals over six innings, including the first batter he faced, who was Schumaker. While there was initial doubt over what caliber of pitcher Kershaw would become, Schumaker offered him the ultimate praise:
“Clayton Kershaw,” Schumaker says, “is the most dominant pitcher I’ve ever played against in my career. I’ve never seen anybody like him.”
The numbers certainly back it up, as Schumaker was 0-for-7 with six strikeouts against Kershaw in his career.
Schumaker spent one season with the Dodgers in 2013 after being traded by the Cardinals in the offseason. He played 125 games for the Dodgers that year, batting .263/.332/.332 with 16 doubles and 30 RBI.
The 2013 Dodgers made the playoffs for the first time in three seasons, beating the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series before losing to the Cardinals in the NL Championship Series.
Clayton Kershaw gave Dodgers ‘shot in the arm’
Kershaw wasn’t fully healthy during the 2024 season, as he only made seven appearances before being placed back on the injured list and remaining there for the rest of the year due to left big toe issues.
It’s been a completely different story in 2025, as Kershaw has been a steadying presence and has provided length for a Dodgers staff that has desperately needed it.
Manager Dave Roberts praised Kershaw’s impact on the team this season and specifically highlighted how he’s filled an immense need.
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