Clayton Kershaw retiring at end of 2025 season after legendary Dodgers career

· New York Post

Clayton Kershaw is hanging up his cleats. 

The Dodgers legend is planning to retire after the 2025 season, the team announced on Thursday.

Kershaw, 37, spent his entire career with the Dodgers and steps away from the game with a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Fame résumé. 

He is slated to make his final Dodger Stadium regular-season start on Friday against the Giants. 

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park. Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

“On behalf of the Dodgers, I congratulate Clayton on a fabulous career and thank him for the many moments he gave to Dodger fans and baseball fans everywhere, as well as for all of his profound charitable endeavors,” Dodgers owner Mark Walter said in a statement. “His is a truly legendary career, one that we know will lead to his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”

Kershaw was slsected No. 7 overall in the 2006 draft by the Dodgers out of high school. 

The southpaw was arguably the best pitcher of his generation, winning three Cy Young awards and making 11 All-Star games. 

Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers smiles in the dugout prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on August 2, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. Getty Images

In 2014, Kershaw had one of the best seasons by a starting pitcher ever, posting a 1.77 ERA en route to the National League Cy Young and MVP award. 

He’s won two World Series with the Dodgers in 2020 and ’24. 

Heading into his final regular-season starts, Kershaw has a career win-loss record of 222- 96 with a 2.54 ERA and 3,039 strikeouts. 

This season, his 18th year in the big leagues, Kershaw has a 3.53 ERA across 20 starts.