Clayton Kershaw confirmed his playing career is over after his time with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
Clayton Kershaw’s legendary career has reached its final chapter — once again.
Team USA’s 5-3 victory over Canada in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals on Friday night marked the final time the longtime Dodgers ace was part of an active roster.
Team USA will replace Kershaw with Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jeff Hoffman ahead of their semifinal matchup with the Dominican Republic. The team no longer requires the emergency relief role that initially drew Kershaw out of retirement.
According to Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com, Kershaw did not pitch in a tournament game during his stint with Team USA, aside from appearing in a pre-tournament exhibition against the Colorado Rockies.
Even so, the 18-year major-league veteran said the experience proved rewarding and meaningful.
“I’m definitely glad I did it,” Kershaw said Friday. “Being around this group is a fun way to end it, honestly. I got to know some of these guys that are kind of the faces of the game moving forward, and I got to meet them and watch them up close.”
Kershaw’s career resumé stands among the greatest of his generation. Over nearly two decades with the Dodgers, he captured three Cy Young Awards, the National League MVP, and five ERA titles while earning 11 All-Star selections.
He also concluded his playing career as a World Series champion.
His final on-field moment came in dramatic fashion. Kershaw recorded a crucial out in relief during an 18-inning marathon Game 3 victory against the Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium during last year’s Fall Classic.
“It's hard to describe,” Kershaw said of the ending. “Like in a 100 million years, I never would have thought it would be that perfect of an ending.
“Baseball's not easy, and we’ve had a lot of ups and downs,” Kershaw added. “But to go out like that, win that game and win the World Series to run on that field one last time with my teammates, you really can't script it.”
While the World Baseball Classic doesn’t match the magnitude of the World Series, Kershaw said the atmosphere surrounding the international tournament carries a similar competitive edge.
“The guys that I talked to that had done this before told me that it really feels like a playoff atmosphere and that the intensity is real,” Kershaw said.
“You can see by the guys that have signed up. They didn’t just do it for fun — they want to win,” Kershaw added. “I put it in a separate bucket from the World Series because it’s different, but the intensity, atmosphere and desire to win are all there.”
Kershaw plans to support Team USA during the remainder of the tournament.
After returning home to Dallas following the quarterfinals, he intends to travel to Miami with his family during his children’s spring break to watch the semifinal round.
The transition from player to spectator will come quickly for the soon-to-be 38-year-old, but Kershaw expressed confidence in the future of the sport.
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