The typically stoic Clayton Kershaw took the microphone during Monday’s World Series Championship Rally for the Los Angeles Dodgers and simply couldn’t fool the packed Dodger Stadium crowd that watched him so closely for his 18-year career. The cracks in his voice and his evident emotions were enough to capture the crowd’s attention just one final time as an active player.
“I told Freddie [Freeman] I wasn’t going to cry today,” he said, taking a long pause. “I don’t know if that’s going to work.”
For a couple of brief minutes, the celebrations for the Dodgers’ thrilling seven-game win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series turned into a celebration of Kershaw’s career. The 37-year-old Dallas native started 451 games in his 18 years, earning three Cy Young Awards, an MVP in 2014 and joining the 3,000 strikeout club earlier this season. The fans and his teammates made time to show appreciation.
“Thank you for showing up and watching us play for the last 18 years,” Kershaw said, who previously announced plans to retire after the season. “Last year I said I was a Dodger for life. Today, that’s true. And today, I get to say that I’m a champion for life, and that’s never going away.”
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Monday surely wasn’t the last time he’ll take the field at Chavez Ravine. There will be a jersey retirement ceremony for his iconic no. 22 someday, a Hall of Fame commemoration and, hopefully, countless times he’ll watch the Boys in Blue from the seats, like 89-year-old Sandy Kofax did during this World Series.
“I know they’re going to get one more next year,” Kershaw told the Dodger Stadium crowd. “And I’m going to watch just like all of you.”