After ringing up 5 Rockies on Thursday afternoon, Kershaw is sort of there. Two-thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-seven down, three to go.
The vaunted Dodgers southpaw solely wanted 69 pitches to get by way of six innings of one-run ball as his crew completed off a three-game sweep of the Rockies with a 3-1 win at Coors Subject. Even pitching at altitude, Kershaw in all probability had extra within the tank and will have gone for the milestone.
Supervisor Dave Roberts stated earlier than the sport that he may see it going each methods. He did not suppose Kershaw was essentially chasing strikeouts, however on the identical time, how may he not be at this level?
“One half, I’m positive he desires to do it in Los Angeles,” Roberts stated. “The opposite a part of it’s he desires to get it over with. I feel it’s inevitable. It’s going to be onerous if he will get to 2 strikes to not go for the strikeout. However that’s what he’s all the time achieved. In order that doesn’t actually change.”
Kershaw entered the collection finale at Coors Subject eight strikeouts shy of three,000. The final time he struck out a minimum of that many hitters in a recreation was greater than two years in the past, on June 8, 2023, in Cincinnati.
The Rockies lead the Majors with 795 strikeouts, so it wasn’t inconceivable that Kershaw may attain the milestone Thursday — however it was unlikely. Now, a extra possible shot at 3,000 will come subsequent week at Dodger Stadium, in entrance of the one dwelling followers he is identified over the course of 18 seasons within the large leagues.
“It could be very particular,” Kershaw stated. “It could be.”
His subsequent begin is anticipated to return Wednesday night towards the White Sox.
“He’s obtained three extra to go, so we are able to make historical past,” Roberts stated. “And for him to have the ability to do it within the dwelling whites, it’s going to be enjoyable, thrilling. He’ll have his household there, buddies. We’ll see. However I’m excited for him.”
The Blue Jays’ Max Scherzer and the Giants’ Justin Verlander are the one lively pitchers who’ve reached 3,000 strikeouts. After Kershaw, the Braves’ Chris Sale is the following closest — however at 2,528 strikeouts in his age-36 season, it is unlikely that Sale will get to three,000.
Given the way in which that the sport has modified, it’s totally doable that no different pitcher will attain 3,000 strikeouts.
“I might say I do not suppose anybody will do it after him. However nobody is aware of,” middle fielder Andy Pages stated in Spanish. “Nobody is aware of what can occur sooner or later. But it surely’s very tough, very tough with baseball and what we’re seeing as of late with all these accidents. It is extremely tough.”
Not solely is Kershaw on the cusp of historical past, he has been a precious arm for the Dodgers this season. In his eighth begin of the 2025 marketing campaign — another than he made in an injury-shortened ’24 — he lowered his ERA to three.03, with the Rockies’ lone run scoring on a Brenton Doyle solo homer.
It takes greater than expertise to succeed in 3,000 strikeouts — or 18 seasons, for that matter. It takes longevity and a willingness to evolve with the instances. As Kershaw approaches the tip of his profession, his supervisor has seen him do exactly that.
“It’s not all the time the case, actually with individuals, gamers which have had success doing one thing a technique,” Roberts stated. “However as you grow old, all the things form of falls again a bit of bit, and also you’ve obtained to have the ability to learn and react. And I give Clayton a number of credit score to simply not be so cussed to what obtained him up to now, to form of learn the way to nonetheless be good as we speak. And he’s doing that.”
Kershaw nonetheless has a few of the identical swing-and-miss stuff at his disposal, too. He’ll use it to place the ending touches on his Corridor of Fame resumé.
“Eight in Colorado isn’t going to be straightforward to do. However pitched effectively, obtained by way of six,” Kershaw stated. “And an opportunity to strike out three at dwelling can be actually cool.”
