Clayton Kershaw’s back. It wasn’t pretty.
Clayton Kershaw stood on the mound at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night, back in a Dodgers uniform for his 18th big league season, tying a franchise record held only by Zack Wheat and Bill Russell. As historic as it could be, for Kershaw, and the Dodgers, it was also a reminder of just how far there still is to go.
Making his first start since undergoing surgeries on both his left shoulder and left toe, Kershaw allowed five earned runs over four innings against the Angels in the Freeway Series, a bumpy re-entry that nonetheless marked a major milestone in his Hall of Fame career. He became only the third player in franchise history to suit up for 18 seasons with the Dodgers.
Clayton Kershaw needed 38 pitches to navigate the first inning, giving up three runs, including one after a botched rundown extended the frame. A clean second inning followed, but he surrendered a solo home run to Taylor Ward in the third and a sacrifice fly in the fourth. He finished his outing with two strikeouts and 83 pitches, his fastball averaging just 89.2 mph and topping out at 90.9 mph, right in line with his recent seasons.
It wasn’t dominant. It wasn’t pretty. But it was something, and for a 37-year-old who has started just seven games last year, that still matters.
Clayton Kershaw now sits just 30 strikeouts shy of 3,000 for his career, a looming milestone that seems inevitable, if his arm holds up.
Kershaw’s return comes not just as a personal triumph, but as a necessity for a Dodgers team running dangerously low on pitching. Despite a 2025 payroll north of $300 million and the offseason addition of Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, the Dodgers has seen its rotation crumble under the weight of injuries. Seven starting pitchers are currently on the injured list, including Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, and Dustin May. Shohei Ohtani, though active as a hitter, won’t pitch for some time. Three others, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, and Emmet Sheehan, are all out for the year following elbow surgeries.
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That has left the Dodgers with a patchwork group: Kyle Hurt and Justin Wrobleski have been pressed into action, and Landon Knack and Bobby Miller are being leaned on more than anticipated, led by Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
For Kershaw, the bar isn’t 200 innings or Cy Young contention anymore. It’s about contributing when he can, while he can. There’s no expectation he’ll make 25 starts, something he hasn’t done since 2019, and the Dodgers aren’t about to push him given his history.
But there’s pride involved. Kershaw, who didn’t pitch during the team’s 2024 postseason run after shoulder surgery, returned this season to do more than simply be a nostalgic figure. The start against the Angels showed he’s not quite there yet, not in command, not in rhythm, not sharp enough, but also not done.
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The Dodgers need him, maybe more than they’d like to admit. But Kershaw needs this, too, one last chapter, still unwritten.
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