After retiring following 18 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw has returned to play this spring, aiming to add one final highlight to his career by competing in the World Baseball Classic (WBC). As part of Team USA’s pitching roster, Kershaw joins a staff led by aces Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, along with strong relievers like Griffin Jax and Mason Miller. Although Kershaw earned a Hall of Fame career as a starter, he is making appearances from the bullpen during this tournament.
Kershaw made his first appearance in a Team USA uniform on Wednesday afternoon during an exhibition game against the Colorado Rockies. Despite an inning that ended prematurely and a home run allowed, he embraced the moment and received a standing ovation from the crowd, as noted by Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Experience and Challenges in First Appearance with Team USA
Kershaw reflected on the occasion, saying,
“It was so cool. I played against Colorado and Arizona a lot, so to hear that was special. … Just being on this team was a bucket list for me from the beginning, and so getting to do that, it was really cool. Obviously, I thought I was never going to throw a baseball again, so to get to do that with Team USA across your chest, and come back to that dugout, that team is really special.”
?Clayton Kershaw, Pitcher
Team USA secured a 14-4 victory over the Rockies in front of a sold-out crowd at Salt River Fields, building on a dominant 15-1 win over the San Francisco Giants the day before at Scottsdale Stadium. Kershaw entered the game in the fourth inning but immediately faced difficulties by giving up a leadoff home run to Mickey Moniak, a player who, despite his seven seasons, had never faced Kershaw before.
The left-hander retired the next batter but then issued a walk before completing his outing on a flyout by TJ Rumfield, walking off to applause from the crowd. Carson Skipper, who followed Kershaw on the mound, surrendered a home run to Kyle Karros, son of former Dodgers draft pick Eric Karros, with one run charged to Kershaw.
Kershaw’s overall performance showed signs of rust, as he threw just six strikes among 13 pitches during his two-thirds of an inning.
Kershaw’s Role and Potential Matchup Against Shohei Ohtani
Kershaw has expressed readiness to pitch whenever Team USA manager Mark DeRosa requires, regardless of role or frequency. However, he does not expect to face Shohei Ohtani, his former Dodgers teammate, unless Team USA and Team Japan meet in the WBC championship, similar to their encounter in 2023.
During their careers, Ohtani has never recorded a hit against Kershaw. Facing Ohtani would thus be a notable event, but one that Kershaw believes will only occur if their teams meet in the finals.
