Clayton Kershaw, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star pitcher, is just eight strikeouts away from achieving a feat only 19 players have accomplished in Major League Baseball history. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is poised to become the 20th member of this exclusive club.
Recently, Kershaw humorously reflected on the milestone, joking about the unpredictable nature of his progress. “Maybe by September I’ll get there, we’ll see,” he said. “It’s obviously a very cool thing, and it’s starting to get more on my mind, but who knows how long 12 strikeouts could take me? It might be until August, so we’ll see.”
For a pitcher with a career as decorated as Kershaw’s, the idea of taking months to reach eight strikeouts is almost comical. In his last three starts, Kershaw struck out 16 batters and allowed just three walks in a total of 17 innings.
Despite being 37 years old and carrying the usual injury concerns, Kershaw has been showing flashes of his former brilliance after a slow start to the 2025 season. His first three starts this year were a struggle, as he posted a 4.91 ERA over 11 innings, with six strikeouts and as many walks.
However, in the following three outings, Kershaw dramatically improved. His ERA dropped to 2.16 across 16.2 innings, during which he struck out 14 batters and walked just four. Additionally, he picked up his first two wins of the season during this stretch.
Though Kershaw’s place in baseball history is already secure, with a potential Hall of Fame career awaiting him in Cooperstown, he continues to prove there’s still more left in the tank. While reaching 3,000 strikeouts was not the main motivation for his return this season, he has made it clear he wants to finish his career on his own terms.
“If I get out there and get shelled, and I’m just not good anymore, then I’ll know it’s time,” Kershaw said. “If another hitter gets the best of me, that’s one thing. But I’m not going to let myself do it to myself.”
