Clayton Kershaw’s Major League career with the Los Angeles Dodgers came to a close after 18 seasons, but he’ll be lacing up his cleats one final time for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic before fully retiring from the sport.
Kershaw was named to the United States’ WBC roster on Jan. 15, marking his first time participating in the tournament after a failed attempt in 2023. He was on track to join of Team USA that year but needed to withdraw from the WBC due to not being able to secure an insurance policy.
With Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, Joe Ryan and Logan Webb solidifying the rotation, it is safe to assume Kershaw’s role will be out of the bullpen. It is a role he has experience in from the end of the Dodgers’ 2025 season.
He made the Dodgers’ postseason roster in three of the four rounds in a reliever role. The left-hander made two separate appearances, which included recording the final out in the 12th inning of Game 3 of the World Series to escape a bases-loaded jam.
Kershaw isn’t the only Dodgers player to participate in the tournament, with Shohei Ohtani suiting up for Team Japan once again after closing out the championship against Team USA in 2023.
The semifinal round is the earliest these two sides could meet for a rematch in 2026, but Kershaw doesn’t anticipate he’ll be in the game to face Ohtani at any point, according to Andy McCullough of The Athletic:
“I am not going to pitch to Shohei in any meaningful game,” Kershaw said. “I’ll tell you that right now. He would hit it so far off me right now.”
Ohtani is 0-for-11 with four strikeouts against Kershaw in his career, with their last meeting coming in 2023.
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa will have plenty of other talented late-inning options for a high-leverage at-bat against Ohtani, including Garrett Cleavinger, Mason Miller and Gabe Speier.
Clayton Kershaw takes top spot on All-Time Dodgers Quarter-Century Team
The DodgerBlue.com staff has ranked the best Dodgers players in the last 25 years. Among various factors considered, the all-time Dodgers list was compiled by evaluating a player’s contributions and significance to the franchise.
Despite the otherworldly efforts of Ohtani in his first two seasons in a Dodgers uniform, there was a clear-cut answer for the No. 1 spot.
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