Clayton Kershaw Makes Strong Statement After Major Dodgers News
Clayton Kershaw Makes Strong Statement After Major Dodgers News originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
It has been a long, storied career for Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw. Since joining the active roster in May 2008, he has remained with the franchise ever since.
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Over his MLB career, Kershaw has won a National League MVP, earned three Cy Young Awards, made 10 All-Star appearances and helped lead the Dodgers to a World Series title in 2020.
In his latest outing, the 37-year-old added another milestone. With seven strikeouts, Kershaw moved into 20th place all-time in MLB strikeouts, passing Zack Greinke. He now sits just 17 strikeouts shy of reaching 3,000 for his career.
After the game, a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, Kershaw reacted with his usual wit.
"I like that one. That's good. I need to beat Zack. That's good. Hopefully, he finds out that I beat him and he texts me," Kershaw said.
The win was also his first of the 2025 season. It tied him with Hall of Famer John Smoltz for 95th on the all-time wins list, giving Kershaw 213 career victories.
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Los Angeles backed its veteran ace early, scoring three runs in the second inning. Tommy Edman drove in two and added another RBI with a double in the fourth. That four-run cushion proved to be more than enough for Kershaw.
Kershaw threw five innings, allowing six hits and just one earned run. He struck out seven and didn't walk a single batter. It was his second five-inning start of the season in five chances.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22).Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Later in the game, Mookie Betts launched his ninth home run of the season. Shohei Ohtani went 1-for-4 but was otherwise quiet at the plate.
The Dodgers remain atop the National League West at 39-27. However, the division is tight with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants close behind.
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Next up, Los Angeles heads to San Diego to open a three-game series against the Padres starting Monday.
Related: Shohei Ohtani Reacts to Dodgers' Max Muncy Announcement
Related: Juan Soto's Behavior Toward Starling Marte Catches Attention on Friday
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
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