'Unicorn' Clayton Kershaw joins 3,000 strikeout club
Tortuous.
Painful.
At times it was that tough watching Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw on the mound before the magical moment
Kershaw became the 20th pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters – and he did it against the lowly Chicago White Sox the hard way.
Entering the game needing only three strikeouts to reach the milestone, Kershaw labored through six innings. Until on his 100th pitch, he recorded strikeout No. 3,000.
Kershaw, 37, left with the Dodgers trailing the Chicago White Sox 4-2– and the home crowd roaring after his achievement. He was on the hook for the loss until the Dodgers rallied with three runs in the bottom of the ninth, earning a 5-4 win with Freddie Freeman's walk-off single.
Kershaw is not flawless pitcher, given his share of postseason struggles. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was spot on before the game when he called Kershaw 'a unicorn."
The Dodgers clubhouse also happens to be occupied by baseball's ultimate unicorn – Shohei Ohtani. He's the ultimate two-way superstar, recently throwing a 102 mph fastball and at 30 already having won three MVP awards.
But Kershaw has done something Ohtani can't match.
In fact, there's a chance no player ever will.
It starts with loyalty.
Tommy Lasorda, the late Dodgers manager insisted he bled Dodger Blue. There's no need to check Kershaw's veins. Clearly, he's a blueblood.
He has spent his entire 18-year career with the Dodgers, and joining the exclusive club of pitchers with 3,000 strikeouts further underscored how rare that is.
Of the 20 pitchers in the 3,000 club, only Walter Johnson and Bob Gibson got there while playing exclusively with one club – Johnson with the Washington Senators and Gibson with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Kershaw's on-field contributions to the Dodgers put him in rare company. Ten All-Star appearances. Three Cy Young awards. Two World Series rings.
Entering Wednesday, he had a 216-94 career record and a ERA of 2.51.
Clayton's journey to 3,000. pic.twitter.com/lAq7ebLBfF
Roberts said Kershaw, 37, also impacts the younger pitchers on the Dodgers' staff.
'A lot guys grab him, get his ear," Roberts said. 'But for the most part, I think that's just kind of how he goes about it. He's always talking the game. He's watching the game. More importantly, he's very consistent.
'Even yesterday I was watching in the pen, he was doing his dry work (practicing skills without using a ball) and this is something he's done for 18 years the day before a start.''
Roberts said Kershaw had the 3,000-strikeout milestone in mind when he decided to return to the Dodgers in 2025. But before the season started, Kershaw underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and a ruptured plantar plate in his left big toe.
Recovering, Kershaw did not make his first start until May 17. He entering the historic game 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA and with 29 strikeouts in 38 ⅔ innings pitched this season.
It's more than many people expected from a veteran who's grown more brittle, and, Roberts said, 'A reminder for me for anyone to never bet against that guy."
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
40 minutes ago
- Newsweek
MLB Executives Reveal Surprising Trade Deadline Expectations
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Athletic's Jim Bowden recently polled a group of MLB executives in order to get a better idea of what to expect ahead of the trade deadline. One of the shocking revelations of this poll was the idea that the Miami Marlins could look to trade Edward Cabrera in the coming weeks. "Cabrera is under control through the 2028 season and is arbitration-eligible next year. He has a 3.41 ERA over 14 starts with 75 strikeouts over 71 1/3 innings. In his last seven starts, he's 3-1 with a 1.46 ERA and 42 strikeouts to 16 walks. The key for Cabrera, 27, has been the improved command and control of all his pitches. (He has averaged 3.79 walks per nine innings, but that's down from 4.67 last year and 5.96 the year before.) "Cabrera is in his prime and has multiple years of control, both of which increase his trade value. The Marlins are not looking to move him, but if they can 'win' a trade, they'd have to consider it." MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 04: Edward Cabrera #27 of the Miami Marlins delivers during the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at loanDepot park on May 04, 2025 in Miami, Florida. MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 04: Edward Cabrera #27 of the Miami Marlins delivers during the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at loanDepot park on May 04, 2025 in Miami, Cabrera while he's 27 years old and pitching well wasn't something many expected to happen over the last few months. But if a team like the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, or Detroit Tigers is willing to part ways with a significant prospect return, a deal could come to fruition. These three teams have the prospect capital it would take to land a huge deal for Cabrera. They're also all aggressive enough this season to entertain the idea. Giving any of these teams a pitcher like Cabrera would greatly boost their World Series hopes. Still, the Marlins would need a massive return of prospects to consider dealing the 27-year-old flamethrower. More MLB: Dodgers One-Time Top Prospect Gaining Steam As Intriguing Trade Chip
New York Times
42 minutes ago
- New York Times
The Nationals declared their rebuild over. Then they stumbled toward last place
As spring training began, Nationals manager Dave Martinez declared his organization's elongated rebuild complete. In the five-plus seasons since Washington won the World Series in 2019, the organization hasn't even sniffed .500. Their 323-469 record post-championship tells the story of a one-time perennial contender whose top stars migrated out, be it for more lucrative contracts, retirement or because they were traded. Advertisement What was left over was less tangible: the promise of a rebuild via the acquisition of young, controllable talent. What was built once in the nation's capital, they hoped, could quickly be rebuilt. And that takes us back to Feb. 18 — the first day of full-squad workouts in West Palm Beach, Florida. Martinez, entering his eighth season as skipper in the District, made clear his belief that they were ready to fulfill that promise. 'I hear a lot about how our core guys are going to be really good. That they're coming,' Martinez said. 'And I really don't want to hear that anymore. I told them today, 'We're here. These are the core guys. … It's time to go out there and perform.' Three months in, his words seem hollow. After splitting a doubleheader Wednesday, the 36-50 Nationals are on pace to finish with fewer wins than the 71 they collected in each of the previous two seasons. Asked to explain the gulf between his expectations and his team's reality, Martinez could only muster a string of cliches. 'We've been in almost every game, we really have,' he said on Saturday from his office before a game against the Angels. 'We're going to put one foot forward every day. These guys don't quit. They play hard every day. It's 26 guys out there pulling on the same rope. They get after it. We've fallen short in some games, and we play hard.' It's an answer that speaks to what is seemingly a larger issue: Things are going poorly, and the organization — led by the second-longest tenured manager-GM duo in baseball — has not presented a clear explanation why, or a way out of the malaise. On-field, some of those reasons seem obvious. Their 5.84 bullpen ERA is the worst in the sport. They only have three above-replacement everyday hitters in their lineup. And the starting rotation, outside of ace MacKenzie Gore, has minimal swing-and-miss potential. Advertisement Their identity was rooted in speed last season. But this year, Nationals baserunners are on pace for roughly 140 steals, compared to a league-leading 223 last year. All while getting thrown out at a higher clip. Those are things anyone can identify from reading box scores or stat pages. What's at the root of these problems, however, is the real issue. And that's one that the team and its leadership don't seem fully prepared to address. 'I think we've been playing pretty good baseball. We beat good teams,' said Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams. 'We've shown what we can do; it's just whether or not we're going to keep going. We've got to keep our heads down, stay where our feet are and keep playing good baseball.' Responsibility, ultimately, does not lie solely with the players. As The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal noted in May, the Nationals have many of the hallmarks of a stagnant organization, with leaders in safe jobs, reporting to an ownership group that is famously hands-off. On Monday, The Washington Post reported that the team doesn't invest in the same high-tech robotic pitching trainer as virtually everyone else. Player development has become a growing concern, as is scouting. These factors make completing a rebuild far more challenging and have left an incomplete team relying on a few standout players. Abrams is one of those players, a core part of Washington's rebuild, and his .842 OPS to go along with 17 stolen bases means he's living up to his end of the bargain. But, despite his assertion, the Nationals have not been playing good baseball. At the time of his comments, they'd won just 4 of 19 games, which started with an 11-game losing streak. Washington sits in last place in the National League East, 14.5 games back of the first-place Phillies and 10 games back of a playoff spot, with seven teams still to jump. Yet in the clubhouse, the players keep their heads down and hope; what else can they do? 'I don't think we're too far off,' said veteran first baseman Josh Bell. 'You look at wild-card teams in the hunt right now, and I don't think they're better teams than we are. They just have played better.' Advertisement Bell was a part of the blockbuster trade that sent would-be franchise player Juan Soto to the Padres in 2022. In that sense, Bell's perspective is unlike anyone else's in the organization. He was dealt as part of the rebuild and returned nearly three years later, hoping to see the fruits of his departure. Their clubhouse is filled with players who should be foundational building blocks, acquired by longtime president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo. That includes Dylan Crews, the No. 2 overall pick in 2023, and Keibert Ruiz, a catcher acquired in the Max Scherzer trade to be their backstop of the future. Then there's outfielder James Wood — already one of the top players in baseball at just 22 years old. It's that talent that gives Bell the belief that they can make a miracle comeback in the 2025 season. But even if they don't, he said, something special could happen in D.C. over the next three to five years. The Nationals fanbase wants to believe that, too. Like Bell, they see the talent. Just not the evidence to back up the rosy outlook. 'I think that's part of the fan experience. Wanting more from your team,' Bell said. 'Even being with the Diamondbacks last year — a team that had come so close to winning it all — there was still the same atmosphere. Panic in the fanbase. But you're right where you want to be.' But are they? FanGraphs gave the Nationals just a 2.9 percent chance of making the playoffs before this season started. Despite what Martinez said in February, it's not as though they are vastly underperforming expectations as a whole. What makes their record more concerning is the context of how they arrived at it. Abrams, Gore and Wood are All-Star caliber right now. And it's in spite of those great players — all returns in the aforementioned Soto trade — that they sit beyond the outskirts of contention before the All-Star break. 'It's been fun to watch in spurts. And once we're consistent, I think that's where it's really gonna turn,' said starter Jake Irvin. Advertisement As for why they haven't been consistent, Irvin was at more of a loss. 'That's harder to answer when you're in it. Sometimes you run into a good arm, just different baseball things. We have the pieces here, but we haven't all played together for a while. It's getting to learn each other's games.' When the Nationals went on their World Series run six years ago, they did so only after coming back from the dead. They famously started that season 19-31 — 10 games back of the division, and 8.5 out of the wild card. That team kept believing, kept playing, and ultimately made the postseason. That team, however, is not this team. That group had Soto, Trea Turner and a healthy Anthony Rendon in the lineup, with Scherzer, Patrick Corbin and Stephen Strasburg in the rotation. That group had the credibility of four postseasons in the prior seven years as evidence that they could turn things around. This Nationals team has none of that. And now, it has to grapple with the hope of a rebuild ending, against the reality that it might just not be working at all. 'I think we can be better,' Martinez said, I really do.' (Top photo of Martinez: Greg Fiume / Getty Images)
Forbes
43 minutes ago
- Forbes
Clayton Kershaw Joins The Exclusive 3,000 Strikeout Club
In his 338th career start, Clayton Kershaw recorded his 3,000 strikeout. (Photo by Nicole ... More Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) It started innocently enough. Sunday, May 25, 2008. At 1:10 p.m., under the bright sun at Dodger Stadium. The St. Louis Cardinals – a team that would come to torment the pitcher at various times in his career – in town finishing a three-game series. The Dodgers, looking to avoid the sweep, sent their rookie left-hander to the mound for his first major league start. He wore #54. The first batter Clayton Kershaw faced as a big leaguer was his eventual teammate, Skip Schumaker. His first major league pitch was called a ball. His second was called a strike. Schumaker then fouled off four straight pitches before striking out on a fastball. One batter, one strikeout. A sign of things to come. The next batter, someone named Brian Barton, walked on four pitches. Nerves, maybe? Future teammate and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols was next, and he promptly doubled to deep left center to score Barton. Three batters, one walk, one K, one hit, and one earned run. Kershaw righted the ship, striking out Ryan Ludwick and Troy Glaus to finish his first inning. When his day was over, after five innings and a total of 102 pitches, Kershaw struck out seven Cardinals, allowing only one additional walk and one additional run. He left the game poised for the win, but Jonathan Braxton blew the save (a happenstance that the big lefty would need to get used to), before the Dodgers won the game with a run in the 10th inning. Nearly five years later, on April 17, 2013, in his 156th game, he recorded strikeout number 1,000, also with a fastball, sending Yander Alonzo back to the dugout. Four years after that, on June 2, 2017, career game number 283, another fastball felled the Brewers' Jonathan Villar for number 2,000, which was one of 14 strikeouts that day in Milwaukee. It would take another eight years. It would take an additional 166 trips to the mound. It would take more than ten trips to the injured list. It would take career lows ('more downs than I care to admit,' Kershaw would later say) and multiple one-year contracts after repeatedly contemplating retirement. It would take getting the post-season monkey off his back by winning the 2020 World Series, and then watching from the sidelines with two injuries as his teammates won another in 2024. It would take the heart of a lion and the strength of a bear to continue to battle father time and the frailty of the human condition. Prior to Wednesday night in Los Angeles, only 19 pitchers had ever recorded 3,000 strikeouts (by comparison, 24 have 300 wins). Only three lefties had done it (Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson, and CC Sabathia – Hall of Famers, all). Only four had done so with one team (Walter Johnson, Bob Gibson, Carlton, and John Smoltz, but the latter two also played for other teams in their career). There are only two active players who are members of the club; the two pitchers who, with Kershaw, make up the troika of this generation's best pitchers: Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. In Kershaw's last four games prior to Wednesday night, he had recorded 7, 5, 4, and 5 strikeouts. So, when he toed the rubber at Chavez Ravine to face the Chicago White Sox, needing only three additional Ks to join the 3,000 club, the 53,536 in attendance expected to witness history. And Kershaw tantalized the crowd for much of the first few innings, going to two-strike counts on the first four batters, seven out of the first nine, and eight out of the first eleven, before recording his first strikeout in the third inning. Kershaw would not record another strikeout until there were two outs in the fifth, finishing off second baseman Lenyn Sosa on his 92nd pitch, which matched his season-high. Kershaw admitted that he could feel the tension with the fans. The murmurs in the ballpark were that Dave Roberts wouldn't have the temerity to not send Kershaw back out for the sixth inning. On the broadcast, the announcers explained that Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, and Kiké Hernández stood in front of Roberts, glaring at him, daring him to remove their friend, their comrade, their beloved teammate from the game. Roberts smiled and offered a thumbs up, denoting that Kershaw was good to go. The irony of the moment was that the story of Kershaw's career has been being kept in the game one batter or one inning too long. There have been countless occasions when he was asked to get another batter, another few outs, when his weary body was simply incapable of doing so. Roberts and co. were tempting fate and begging history not to repeat itself. The fans, kept in suspense about Roberts' decision, roared when Kershaw stepped out of the dugout and jogged to the mound. In his post-game interview, the weary pitcher said that the crowd's reaction to his coming back out to pitch in the sixth inning is something he will remember forever. Kershaw got Mike Tauchman to ground out to first to start the frame. Michael A. Taylor laced a 1-0 pitch down the left field line for a double. He then tried to steal third, but Will Smith cut him down. Unfortunately, Taylor collided with Muncy, which resulted in a prolonged delay as the third baseman was helped from the field (imagining will be completed on Thursday to determine the extent of the injury). Kershaw took a few warm up throws while Hernández got loose as Muncy's replacement, but one wondered if the additional delay would adversely affect the 37-year old hurler. A 91 MPH fastball to rookie Vinny Capra, who was not yet twelve years old when Kershaw made his major league debut, made it 0-1. A curveball in the dirt squared the count. Capra, who hails from the land down under, swung over an 86 MPH slider to bring Kershaw one strike away and the crowd to its feet. What followed was an 85 MPH slider on the outside corner that Kershaw would later say wasn't where it was supposed to be. Regardless, when home plate umpire Jim Wolf turned to his right and called Capra out, history was made. In the aftermath, the Dodgers did not swarm Kershaw. Rather, they allowed him to walk off the field on his own, soaking up the adulation two hours, six innings, and eighteen years in the making. Kershaw saluted the crowd and blew kisses to his family in the second deck. When Kershaw finally made it to the dugout, his teammates began a procession of hugs, culminating with a giant embrace by his skipper, the man who has relied on him and possibly pushed him too hard too many times over the past 10 years, but whose faith in the pitcher has never wavered. And then the PA announcer directed the fans to DodgerVision, which showed a three-minute montage of Kershaw's greatest hits. Forget the 2:25 between inning time limit, the celebration ran for at least five minutes, and neither the Dodgers nor the White Sox gave one lick. Rules were made to be broken. Clayton Kershaw salutes the Dodgers fans after striking out Vinny Capra to record his 3,000th career ... More strikeout. (Photo by) Kershaw made history on his 100th pitch, two-thirds of which were strikes. But, he left the game trailing 4-2. The Dodgers wasted opportunities in the seventh and eighth, and it looked as if Kershaw might get his first loss of the season on one of the biggest nights of his career. Fear not. Michael Conforto, who robbed extra bases in the first inning to keep the White Sox from blowing open the game, singled to lead off the bottom of the 9th. Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim then walked to load the bases with no outs for Shohei Ohtani. The stage was set for an historic ending, but Ohtani grounded into a run-scoring force out, making it 4-3. Mookie Betts followed with a sacrifice fly to even things up. With Will Smith at the plate, Ohtani stole second. Smith eventually walked, bringing up World Series hero Freddie Freeman. Freeman, who has been struggling of late, lined the first pitch he saw into right field to score Ohtani and give the Dodgers the win. The Dodgers celebrate Freddie Freeman's walk-off single on Clayton Kershaw's big night. (Photo by ... More) The lights in Dodger Stadium flickered, Randy Newman's 'I Love L.A.' blared from the speakers, the crowd went wild, and another chapter in this storied franchise was written. As Dave Roberts said after the game, 'It happened the way it was supposed to happen.'
