Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-handed starting pitcher, Kershaw has spent his entire MLB career with the Dodgers since debuting in 2008. He is a ten-time All-Star, three-time National League (NL) Cy Young Award winner, the 2014 NL Most Valuable Player, and a World Series champion in 2020. His 2.48 career earned run average (ERA) and 1.00 walks plus hits per inning pitched rate (WHIP) are the lowest among starters in the live-ball era (minimum 1,000 innings pitched).[1][2] Kershaw has a career hits allowed per nine innings pitched average of 6.82, the third-lowest in MLB history.[3] He has been described for much of his career as the best pitcher in baseball, and one of the greatest pitchers of all time.[4]
Clayton Kershaw
210–92
2.48
2,944
Kershaw was drafted seventh overall in the 2006 MLB draft. He worked his way through the Dodgers' farm system in just one full season and reached the majors at 20 years old. When he debuted in 2008, he was the youngest player in MLB, a title he held for one full year. In 2011, he won the pitching Triple Crown and the NL Cy Young Award, becoming the youngest pitcher to accomplish either of these feats since Dwight Gooden in 1985.
During the 2013 offseason, the Dodgers signed Kershaw to a franchise record seven-year, $215 million contract extension. Kershaw pitched a no-hitter on June 18, 2014, becoming the 22nd Dodger to do so. Being a left-handed pitcher and playing for the Dodgers drew Kershaw comparisons to Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax early in his career.[5] He has led MLB in ERA five times, and was the first major league pitcher to do so in four consecutive years (2011–2014).[6] Kershaw is also a three-time NL wins leader and three-time NL strikeouts leader.
Off the field, Kershaw is an active participant in volunteer work. He and his wife Ellen launched "Kershaw's Challenge" and wrote the book Arise to raise money to build an orphanage in Zambia. He has been honored with the Roberto Clemente Award and the Branch Rickey Award for his humanitarian work.
Early life[edit]
Kershaw was born in Dallas, Texas. His parents divorced when he was 10, and he was raised by his mother.[7] He played in youth sports leagues as a child, including Little League Baseball.[8][9]
Kershaw attended nearby Highland Park High School, where he played baseball and was also the center for future NFL quarterback Matthew Stafford on the varsity football team.[10] After a growth spurt and further development of his pitches, he established himself as an elite high school prospect in 2006[10] when he posted a 13–0 record with an earned run average (ERA) of 0.77, and recorded 139 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched. In a playoff game against Northwest High School of Justin, Texas, Kershaw pitched an all-strikeout perfect game. He struck out all 15 batters he faced in the game, which was shortened because of the mercy rule. He also hit a grand slam.[11] He also pitched for USA Baseball's Junior National Team in the Pan Am Championship.[10] Kershaw was selected by USA Today as "High School Baseball Player of the Year", and was also the Gatorade National Player of the Year for baseball.[12]
Entering the 2006 MLB draft, Kershaw was considered the consensus top high school pitcher available.[13][14] The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Kershaw with the seventh overall pick in the draft.[15] He had committed to Texas A&M University, but turned down the scholarship offer to sign with the Dodgers,[10][16] with a bonus estimated at $2.3 million. At the time, it was the largest bonus conferred to any Dodgers draft pick and remained so until it was topped by the $5.25 million that Zach Lee, another Texas high school pitcher, earned from the 2010 draft.[17]
Professional career[edit]
Draft and minor leagues[edit]
Kershaw began his career with the Gulf Coast League (GCL) Dodgers. He pitched 37 innings in which he struck out 54 batters (walking only five), while compiling a record of 2–0 with a 1.95 ERA.[18] He featured a fastball that topped out at 96 miles per hour (154 km/h)[19] and he was rated as the top prospect in the GCL,[20] and the Dodgers' second best prospect by Baseball America behind third baseman Andy LaRoche.[21]
Kershaw was promoted to the Great Lakes Loons in 2007, with whom he recorded a record of 7–5 with a 2.77 ERA.[22] He was selected to play on the East Team in the Midwest League All-Star Game[23] and on the USA team in the All-Star Futures Game.[24] On August 6, he was promoted to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns in the Southern League,[25] where he produced a 1–2 record and 3.65 ERA in five starts[26] and was selected as the top prospect in the Dodgers organization heading into the 2008 season.[27]
During spring training in a game against the Boston Red Sox, Kershaw gained much attention for throwing a curveball to Sean Casey that started behind Casey but at the end looped into the strike zone and struck him out looking.[28] Kershaw was 0–3 and had a 2.28 ERA with 47 strikeouts through 43+1⁄3 innings pitched in his first stint of the year with the Suns.[29] He was then called up to the majors on May 24, 2008, but optioned back to Jacksonville on July 2.[30]
Kershaw pitched 18 innings during his second trip to Jacksonville (two starts and one seven-inning relief appearance), winning two games. During this stretch, he allowed only two earned runs, lowering his ERA to 1.91. He was recalled on July 22.[31]