On May 25, 2008, Clayton Kershaw made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in a start against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. He joined the Dodgers that season from Double-A Jacksonville.
Kershaw allowed two runs on five hits in six innings, striking out seven and walking one. Of his 102 pitches, 69 were thrown for strikes. Kershaw issued a one-out walk and allowed an RBI double to Albert Pujols, but otherwise struck out the side in the first inning.
Kershaw exited with the game tied, and he did not factor into the decision as the Dodgers won in the 10th inning on Andre Ethier’s walk-off single.
At the time just 20 years old, Kershaw took regular turns in the Dodgers rotation into July. He was optioned back to Jacksonville following a start on July 1, but rejoined the Dodgers before the end of the month and remained with the club for the duration of the season and into the playoffs.
On this day in 2008, #KershawDay began. @ClaytonKersh22’s final line in his debut: 6 IP, 5H, 2ER, 1BB, 7K pic.twitter.com/f1ecUQL60B
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 25, 2019
In 22 games (21 starts) with the Dodgers as a rookie, he went 5-5 with a 4.26 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. Kershaw allowed one run on two hits in two innings pitched across two relief appearances in the 2008 National League Division Series.
Since making his MLB debut, Kershaw went on to become arguably the best pitcher of his generation and cemented himself as a Dodgers icon. Kershaw spent his entire career with the Dodgers before retiring after the 2025 season.
Beckett makes Dodgers history, razzes Clayton Kershaw
Also on this day in Dodgers history, Josh Beckett threw the lone no-hitter of his career in 2014.
As later told by A.J. Ellis, Beckett needled Kershaw and Zach Greinke on the flight out of Philadelphia, offering to give them advice on how to throw a no-hitter. Kershaw would go on to throw a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies on June 18, 2014.
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