In the middle of June, as the San Diego Padres arrived in Los Angeles for a heated series against the Dodgers, their injured ace Joe Musgrove had a singular focus: securing a signed Clayton Kershaw jersey.
While players often exchange personalized jerseys to commemorate friendships or milestones, Musgrove had only done so a handful of times in his nine-year career, exclusively with former teammates. This request was different.
“This is the first that I’ve sent one over in admiration for what someone has done for the game,” said Musgrove, a lifelong Padres fan now pitching for the club. “He’s made a big impact on this game—not only as a player, but for the way he handles himself.”
Kershaw will make his final regular-season start at Dodger Stadium on Friday, one of the last appearances of a storied career. Even before he officially announced his retirement on Thursday, the baseball world was preparing its farewell. This reverence from opponents has manifested in praise, gratitude, and a steady stream of autograph requests.
Kershaw, 37, acknowledges that jersey requests have “slightly increased from years past” but insists it’s “nothing crazy.” He signs them all, sometimes listing his accolades—”3X NL Cy Young, 2014 NL MVP, 2X WS Champ!” as he wrote for Rockies starter Kyle Freeland—or adding a brief message.
“It’s amazing how fast that flips, you know?” Kershaw told ESPN. “You don’t think that you’re the old guy until it happens, and then you are. It happens fast.”
When Kershaw signed his fourth consecutive one-year contract in March, he was considered a luxury for a pitching staff already fortified with Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, a healthy Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, and the impending two-way return of Shohei Ohtani. Yet, following offseason knee and toe surgeries, he rejoined the rotation in May and helped stabilize a unit beset by injuries. He found another gear in August, winning all five starts with a 1.88 ERA.
Despite throwing the slowest fastball of his career and a slider that sometimes lacks its signature bite, Kershaw has adapted with remarkable ingenuity, even incorporating an occasional eephus pitch. His reinvention has produced a 10-2 record and a 3.53 ERA.
“He’s making jokes about how he’s only throwing 86, 87—and he’s still getting outs,” said San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb. “To me, that’s the most impressive thing.”
Webb, who was 12 when Kershaw debuted, grew up idolizing the pitcher during his dominant 2011-2014 run. “He seems to amaze me every single time,” Webb said, noting he was determined to get a signed jersey from Kershaw at this year’s All-Star Game.
This sentiment is shared across clubhouses. Cincinnati Reds starter Andrew Abbott, who was nine when Kershaw debuted, watched him pitch in August and was struck by his evolving arsenal, particularly a split-changeup he recently developed. “He knows what he’s doing,” Abbott said. “He can just figure things out on the fly.”
Even new teammate Blake Snell, who requested the locker next to Kershaw’s after signing with the Dodgers, remains in awe. “He never gives in,” Snell said. “He’s a competitor. You either have it or you don’t. And he’s very elite at competing.”
Despite his enduring effectiveness, Kershaw’s postseason role is uncertain. With Yamamoto and Snell likely fronting the wild-card rotation and Ohtani, Glasnow, and Emmet Sheehan also in the mix, his spot is not guaranteed.
“My job is just to pitch well,” Kershaw said. “Whatever decision they make, they’re going to make the best decision for the team. I’ll understand either way.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence, regardless of the role. “The bottom line is I trust him,” Roberts said. “And for me, the postseason is about players you trust.”
Those closest to Kershaw have noticed a change in him this season. Roberts saw a more reflective, appreciative player at the All-Star Game and has observed a general softening of his intense demeanor. “The edges,” Roberts said, “aren’t as hard anymore. He’s being intentional about taking in every moment.”
Kershaw has allowed himself to savor certain milestones, like his 3,000th career strikeout, and his family has traveled to every start this season. Still, the veteran competitor resists fully embracing the farewell tour, believing his edge is intrinsically linked to his focus on the next challenge.
“The minute you savor, the minute you think about success, you’re content,” he explained. The paradox is that to remain the competitor he has always been, he cannot fully enjoy the end of his journey.
“Yeah, but that’s OK,” Kershaw concluded. “Because you want to go out competing, just like you always did. At the end of the day, being healthy, being able to compete and pitch well, being on a great team—that’s all you can ask for. If you do all of the other stuff… then it’s all downhill.”
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