The Kershaws are the very best kind of Park Cities story, a byproduct of its espoused ideals. Clayton Kershaw built a Hall of Fame career in Los Angeles. Latest on Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN 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). He also struck out 172 batters with only 11 walks. This is the story of the key stretch of weeks when Stroud began his rapid ascent into Young's orbit. [51], After finishing the 2010 season strong, the Dodgers named Kershaw as the Opening Day Starter for the 2011 season. [13] He also pitched for USA Baseball's Junior National Team in the Pan Am Championship. By the kitchen, theres an unopened bottle of champagne signed by friends with congratulatory messages. They draw strength from that divergence. MLB offseason grades: Luis Arraez heads to Miami, but was the return enough for Pablo Lopez? Two sets of golf clubs his and a miniature set for 4-year-old Charley stood underneath. Then came a shocking discovery, Irans storytelling tradition spans centuries. He wants to be Calis protector. His ERA was the first sub-2.00 ERA since Roger Clemens did it in the 2005 season and the lowest overall since Pedro Martnez in the 2000 season. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. Love it. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. Their house is not wreathed by any wrought-iron gate, and there are no Italian sports cars in the driveway. Everyone but Clayton rolls their eyes at that idea. [233] The couple have four children together. [93] On June 18, he pitched a complete game no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies and struck out a career-high 15 batters. Ill always be pulling for you! Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. All three torture hitters, as much for their movement as Kershaws almost unparalleled ability to command them. [183] The Dodgers went on to defeat the Rays in 6 games to win Kershaw his first World Series championship. He became the first Dodger starter to have back-to-back complete-game victories since Jeff Weaver in the 2005 season and the first Dodger to have double-digit strikeouts in consecutive starts since Chan Ho Park in the 2000 season. Clayton Kershaw was the 22nd pitcher to pitch a no-hitter in 2014. The left-hander, who was slated to pitch Friday against the Phillies at Dodger Stadium, was instead placed on the 15-day injured list with right SI (pelvic) joint inflammation. A post shared by clayton kershaw (@claytonkershaw). Ausmus retired before Kershaw made his eight All-Star teams or won his three Cy Young Awards or claimed his National League MVP award. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? So. It matters where you come from, unfortunately. Memories are getting made. He got married to Ellen Melson in 2010 and they have a daughter named Cali Ann who was born in the year 2015. It wasnt how he had envisioned winning a championship, but it didnt matter. He believes its his responsibility to make sure Charley and Cooper become good men. [152] Although he received criticism after this start for his continued postseason struggles, the later revelation of the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal as a possible factor has complicated assessments of his performance in this game. [193][194] On July 15, Kershaw had another perfect game bid against the Los Angeles Angels, where he threw seven perfect innings until it was broken up by a double by Luis Rengifo. Instead, a funny thing happened, a development neither of them foresaw: Clayton Kershaw learned how to throw a baseball better than almost everyone in history. What happens when its over? I always say, when you get a gift like being able to throw a baseball, I didnt do anything to deserve that. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Big market teams are not trying to win: Clayton Kershaw gets candidon many topics, he didnt shoulder the weight of another failure. He and his wife returned to Zambia in 2012. Sorry.. [201] Out of the stretch, he uses a slide step as it makes it difficult for a baserunner at first base to get a read on him. The Dodgers selected him seventh overall in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft for a reason. Marianne Tombaugh is the mother of Clayton who is Clyde Tombaughs niece. Shes in kindergarten, and Kershaw knows her schedule inside and out. [200], Kershaw's pitching style relies on deception, movement, and changes of velocity. The only reason thats even a consideration is because of the respect I have for the people within that group, especially now that Chris Young is there, he says of the Rangers general manager, a fellow Highland Park alum. The Dodgers have been baseballs model franchise for a decade, a perennial contender that has won its division nine of the last 10 years and played for the World Series in three of them. Clayton Kershaw pushed the weighted sled 70 feet through the well-tended grass of his home's side yard, his legs churning as he passed the plastic kiddie slide. Its the same competitive guy. In his office, the room outside his gym that houses some memorabilia, the tattered black glove he used for his first 13 major league seasons sits in a display case, retired now that he finally secured a championship. He has the kiddos to thank for that. Turners reappearance became a national controversy. But his arrival doesnt guarantee Kershaws time in Los Angeles will end in the fall. Its where Ellen, the woman who has never met a stranger, works the microphone and holds court. [10] In 2017 Stafford and Kershaw, members of the Highland Park High School class of 2006, were the highest-paid players in their respective leagues. [62] Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers won the American League Triple Crown the same season, marking the first major-league season since 1924 to feature Triple Crown-winning pitchers in both leagues. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous . (Age 20-067d, So its pretty awesome., And we travel so much with him, Ellen said. His best game so far has been considered as the match against Colorado Rockies played in 2014. The powerful left-hander spent just two and a . Being a left-handed strikeout pitcher and playing for the Dodgers has drawn Kershaw comparisons to Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax. Their preferred summer activity was pool hopping: wandering the neighborhood until they found a house with a swimming pool, whereupon theyd climb the fence and cannonball into the water, one by one. Draft: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1st round (7th) of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft from Highland Park HS (Dallas, TX). This pretty much confirms that he will be going home to Texas. [168] He was selected to the 2019 MLB All-Star Game, his eighth all-star appearance. He has worked at a punishing pace; only three active pitchers have thrown more innings, all of whom are at least three years older than he is. The Dodgers have won six National League West titles and advanced to three World Series in Friedmans six seasons. Not that anyone doubted they would. The match is also known to be the best nine-innings match of modern baseball history. Even after having a herniated disc in his back he performed out of the ordinary. Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw with his wife, Ellen, and children (from left) Charley, Cooper and Cali. Sometimes she doesnt go to that playground, though, he said, turning back to the sled with 45-pound weights mounted on each side. I dont know, he said. [98] He won the pitcher of the month award again in July, the third Dodger (along with Don Sutton and Burt Hooton) to win it two months in a row. Clayton Kershaw celebrates with his family after the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series in Arlington, Texas. He is a nine-time All-Star, three-time National League (NL) and Cy Young. [153] He came back in game seven to pitch four scoreless innings of relief in the game, and in the process, he broke Orel Hershiser's Dodgers post-season record with his 33rd strikeout. We talk about that, not really, huh, Kershaw said, looking over at Ellen. [171][172], Kershaw finished the 2019 regular season with a record of 165 with 3.03 ERA with 189 strikeouts. Mookie might be better than me, he admitted, a nod to his teammate Mookie Betts. Chance James joins big sister Cali and big brothers Charley and Cooper in the Kershaw crew. Joy splashed his face. Your email address will not be published. (Although Shay King says she definitely sees a world in which his daughter follows in her moms drill team footsteps, in which case he will box out some moms to be in the front row for Calis dance recital.). Its a return to his most authentic self, the man he is when hes free of the stress and anxiety that twists him into something harder every fifth day. Thats awesome.. The Claw, Kid K, The Minotaur, Kersh are nicknames for Clayton Kershaw. Inside, Charley was up and about while Cooper napped and Cali attended school. So all that other stuff will take care of itself.. [37], Kershaw won his first MLB game against the Washington Nationals on July 27, 2008. Clayton Kershaw throws in the bullpen the day before Game 4 of the 2020 World Series against the Rays in Arlington, Texas. But the rest of that description of their future lives together? The couple leading every bit of the life they envisioned and more. I dont think thats the way it should be, and, to me, thats not a political issue. Im like, Im sure that thats what you were like, Ellen said. He also won the title of Most Valuable Player in the year 2014. Baseball was mired in a months-long labor stoppage, and he was perhaps the only player happy about it because the time off provided enough cover to conceal the amount of pain his pitching elbow gave him after missing two months of the 2021 season. This is like your chance to get to hang out with your kids and be with them, Kershaw said. The closest anyone else has gotten is 125. Seventy percent of the money raised in 2012 went to Arise Africa, with 10 percent each going to the Peacock Foundation in Los Angeles, Mercy Street in Dallas, and I Am Second. [192], On April 30, Kershaw struck out Dustin Garneau of the Detroit Tigers to tie Don Sutton for the Dodgers franchise strikeout record at 2,696. Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw Announces Child Number 4. The incident occurred after both teams were given a warning following Giants ace Tim Lincecum hitting Matt Kemp earlier in the game. vs. STL 6.0 IP, 5 H, 7 SO, 1 BB, 2 ER, Rookie Status: I think about retirement workouts all the time. He didnt return to his peak until March, right around when the lockout ended and he was free to sign a new one-year contract with Los Angeles, hardly anyone the wiser that he spent most of the offseason wondering whether retirement had come for him rather than the other way around. This is what we believe. Clayton Kershaw was born on Saturday, March 19, 1988, in Dallas, Texas. [170] Kershaw picked up his 166th career win on August 20 against the Toronto Blue Jays, passing Koufax for the most wins ever by a Dodger left-handed pitcher. [195], Kershaw was chosen to start the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in front of his home crowd at Dodger Stadium. [76], Kershaw made his third straight opening day start for the Dodgers in the 2013 season, the first Dodger starter to do so since Derek Lowe (20052007). He is a 28 year old left-handed strikeout American professional baseball pitcher and plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers team. Jorge Castillo is a sports enterprise reporter, with a focus on baseball, for the Los Angeles Times. I sit, and three fastballs down the middle. He set an MLB record with six consecutive starts with at least 10 strikeouts and no more than one walk and a club record with six consecutive starts with at least 10 strikeouts. It stings, it hurts. [118] He shared the NL Player of the Week honors with his teammate Zack Greinke for the week of July 1319[119] and won NL Pitcher of the Month for July. He was additionally selected as the starting pitcher for the TSN NL All-Star Team. [151] Notably, he threw 39 sliders and generated only one swing and miss all game. [102] Many experts called his 2014 season one of the best pitching seasons in recent memory. [138] On June 2, he struck out Jonathan Villar of the Milwaukee Brewers for his 2,000th career strikeout. He is the face of Wilson Sporting goods and Subway. All going back to work would do is stand in the way of what makes him happiest: playing dad. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. He and his wife Ellen launched "Kershaw's Challenge" and wrote the book Arise to raise money to build an orphanage in Zambia. He was booed loudly upon being pulled from the game. LOS ANGELES (AP) Clayton Kershaw continued his dominant start to the season with seven sharp innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the struggling St. Louis Cardinals 1-0 on Saturday night. All rights reserved. The celebration became somewhat muted when Justin Turner tested positive for COVID-19 that night and joined the rest of the Dodgers on the field for photos after the game. The TV mounted above the fireplace mantle is a size you upgrade from, not one you boast about. The next morning, he drove his family home for the offseason. [158] He returned to the team for one start on May 31, during which he experienced a recurrence of his chronic back pain and was put back on the disabled list. It twinged when he twisted a doorknob. He was the youngest Dodger to ever strikeout 13 or more batters in a game since Sandy Koufax did it in the 1955 season. [147] He made two starts in the 2017 NLCS against the Chicago Cubs, both Dodgers wins, including the clinching game five. [87] On November 13, he won the NL Cy Young Award for the second time in three seasons. [44], Kershaw made his playoff starting debut against the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2009 National League Division Series (NLDS). For a typical 7:10 pm start, he leaves for the ballpark at 12:53. This story originally appeared in the April issue ofD Magazinewith the headline, Faith, Family, and Fastballs. Write to [emailprotected]. His current contract terms are 1 yr/$20M (23). Clayton Kershaw is on Instagram at claytonkershaw. And I love that experience for our kids. The couple who every year must be assured that other Los Angeles luminaries would be honored to host their charity Ping-Pong tournament. In another life, this would be their only focal point: loving each other, and their children, and all the members of their swelling tribe. [82], Kershaw finished the season with a 169 record, 236 innings pitched (a career-high), and a Major League-best 1.83 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. [109] He also won his third (and second straight) Warren Spahn Award. He also consistently lands low on the strike zone below the catcher's knees, causing batters to chase the ball even when it is clearly going to hit the dirt. The other was on Apple Music, feeding the Dance XL playlist into the rooms speaker system. 200 LOS ANGELES The Mets were on the wrong end of Clayton Kershaw' s masterpiece in a. [203], Kershaw's repertoire includes a four-seam fastball that sits anywhere from 91 miles per hour (146km/h) to 95 miles per hour (153km/h) and in his younger years topped out at 98 miles per hour (158km/h) with late movement, a slider at 84 miles per hour (135km/h)90 miles per hour (140km/h), a 126 curveball between 72 miles per hour (116km/h)75 miles per hour (121km/h), and a seldom thrown changeup (under 3%). Tony because he adds a y to Clayton. He played in youth sports leagues in school including the Little League Baseball. Do you have a blog? He was 6-2 with a 2.16 earned-run average in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Her parents grew her in Dallas, where she finished her studies and encountered her high school friend of then and spouse of now, Clayton. Last season was the first time in his career his most-used offering wasn't his four-seamer, as he threw his slider a career-high 47.6% of the time, compared to 36.7% for his fastball. He has been honored with the Roberto Clemente Award and the Branch Rickey Award for his humanitarian work. He received an MRI, which revealed that there was a mild herniated disc in the back, and received an epidural injection to treat the pain. And they also know that you cant plan for everything. That will be different after this season. Be the first to know about Dallas' best events, contests, giveaways, and happenings each month. [133] He rejoined the Dodger rotation on September 9. The girls, meanwhile, were on the Highland Park Belles andbonded over Oprah Winfrey, whose talk show theyd watch after school and compare notes on the following day at school. [56], Kershaw was selected to the National League team for the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, his first All-Star selection. And you keep going. He was the second youngest Dodger to reach that mark, behind only Fernando Valenzuela. Kershaw 'at peace' as he officially re-signs in L.A. [30] Kershaw was 03 and had a 2.28 ERA with 47 strikeouts through .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}43+13 innings pitched in his first stint of the year with the Suns. [188] However, he experienced more arm pain in an October 1 game against the Brewers, causing him to leave the game in the second inning. Three times hes been named the best pitcher in the National League, and once, in 2014, the best player, period. "[47], Kershaw rebounded his next start by pitching an 8-inning two-hitter and outdueling the then undefeated Ubaldo Jimnez. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. ", "Clayton Kershaw sets Dodgers postseason strikeout record", "From afterthought to foundation of a winner", "Back-to-back: Nationals' Max Scherzer wins 2nd consecutive Cy Young, 3rd overall", "Kershaw's one lapse too much in opener loss", "Clayton Kershaw placed on disabled list with biceps tendonitis", "Clayton Kershaw back on DL with lower back strain", "Kemp's grand slam seals win in Kershaw's return", "Dodgers say 'extra rest' led to the choice of Hyun-Jin Ryu over Clayton Kershaw for NLDS opener", "Kershaw makes a statement as LA goes up 2-0", "Crew holds off LA in G1 for 12th straight victory", "Hot Red Sox bats chill Dodgers in Game 1", "Red Sox roll to 4th World Series title since 2004", "Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw reach agreement on new three-year deal", "Kershaw begins ST anew with simulated inning", "Ryu, Buehler, Kershaw join Bellinger on 2019 NL All-Star Team", "Kershaw ties Koufax with a dominant win vs. Marlins", "Kershaw passes Koufax in wins as LA bats erupt", "Blue Jays' Bo Bichette launches pair of home runs off Clayton Kershaw", "2019 Major League Baseball Batting Leaders", "Kershaw falters as bullpen plan goes awry", "Back injury forces Clayton Kershaw to miss opening day start; Dustin May gets the nod", "New No. Dallas would be home for good. The elder Kershaw remarried after his divorce from Marianne and died in 2013. Theyll need it, too, because were now much closer to the end of Claytons baseball career than the start. [206], He is also known for having one of the better pickoff moves to first base and is considered one of the better fielding pitchers in the game. I dont even know if they knew who they were, Clayton says of Leslie and her husband, Jim. He led MLB for four consecutive years from 2011-2014. And, after a half-decade of chasing a World Series, of absorbing nationwide bile each time the Dodgers failed, Clayton had his Dirk-esque redemption in 2020, winning his long-awaited ring in Arlington, at Globe Life Field, which hosted playoff games as a neutral site due to the pandemic. Still, they saw a future, and they manifested it, all the way down to The Office reruns that remain a pillar of their TV diet. It just happens to be plastic and kid-size. Kershaw grew up in Highland Park, Texas, and attended school with quarterback Matthew Stafford. For eight years, the benefit concert has raised money for a rotating cast of charities. Theres no telling what that will look like, either. In the beginning, Ellen says, we were using his platform for my passion.. Clayton Kershaw was born on March 19, 1988. [88], After the season, Kershaw and the Dodgers agreed on a seven-year, $215 million, contract extension. He doesnt take a day off. A dozen years ago, not long after their wedding at Highland Park Presbyterian Church, Ellen and Clayton Kershaw co-authored a book, Arise. ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. [127] On May 12 against the New York Mets, he struck out 13 while pitching a three-hit complete-game shutout. [94][95] Kershaw was 60 with an 0.82 ERA in June and was awarded his third career Pitcher of the Month award. Just a year ago, he was peeved when a reporter wrote that he had visited Driveline Baseball a data-driven player development program in Seattle for an assessment. More striving to be the sort of parents who lead their children to embrace endless possibilities, and who will embrace the inevitable questions that arise from them, all the way down to the faith that has served as the bedrock for three generations of Kershaws and Melsons in the Park Cities. The number staggered him. Three fastballs when I'm standing up. [36] When he debuted, Kershaw was the youngest player in MLB, a title he held for one full year. L.A. is not where theyre meant to be. Clayton, the greatest Dallas-born athlete of his generation and perhaps every other, had just completed his breakout season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in what would become one of the most storied baseball careers in history. Seven more to go. [91] Before his second start, Kershaw felt some pain in his back and was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. If you want to know where that might take them after baseball, the best place to start parsing the possibilities is KC Live, for reasons that transcend the work itself. Clayton Kershaw makes $20,000,000.00 this year. [210] Kershaw's former teammate and close friend, catcher A.J. Clayton hugs Ellen after pitching a no-hitter in 2014. [154], Kershaw was selected as a starting pitcher on Baseball America's All-MLB Team[155] and finished second in the NL Cy Young Award voting. Kershaw vintage in milestone victory", https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/news/clayton-kershaw-200-career-wins?sf103584368=1, "Is Clayton Kershaw on Dan Partick 9/26/2011", "Recap the Top Ten Starting Pitchers Right Now! Kershaw also walked 91 batters, which was second most in the National League (NL). So he has worked out six days a week to complement his offseason throwing regimen. More of Ellen keeping the door to the Kershaw house open, setting a place for any guest the way Leslie did before because, as dad Jim Melson beams, Ellen is a clone of her mom, in all the best ways. [85], Kershaw won the Warren Spahn Award for 2013, the second time he had won the award, which honors the best left-handed pitcher in the Major Leagues. I do know that I still love it and I have a blast.. The Kershaws do not live in a compound. [137], Kershaw made his seventh straight Opening Day start, tying Don Sutton for most consecutive Opening Day starts, and Sutton and Don Drysdale for most total opening day starts by a Dodger. He looked and looked until he realized his 6-year-old daughter wasnt there. So we just had a fun little group and found a cool group of girls that actually thought we were all right.. Obviously, its personal for him and Ellen, but I feel like all is right in the world if he finishes his career, whenever that is, in however many years, as a Dodger., Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. In the April issue of D Magazine, our sister publication, a piece by Mike Piellucci describes the scene and Kershaw's "raspy voice calling for bigger bids, exhorting the crowd to go higher, until it's going once, going twice, sold.". As such, the Kershaws are the very best kind of Park Cities story, a byproduct of its espoused ideals. But you can come pretty darn close. Those days left an imprint on the coupleand a blueprint for who they would become. He captured the Cy Young in three of them, and was named the National Leagues Most Valuable Player in 2014, making him the first pitcher to win the award in 46 years. His family is about to expand. Staff Writer features content writed by our site editor along with our staff of contributing writers. It is fun. [99] He picked up his 200th strikeout of the season on September 2, the fifth year in a row he had reached that number, trailing only the six seasons in a row for Sandy Koufax among Dodger starters. Now inching into his mid-30s, its anything under 230. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. [26] On August 6, he was promoted to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns in the Southern League,[27] where he produced a 12 record and 3.65 ERA in five starts[28] and was selected as the top prospect in the Dodgers organization heading into the 2008 season. They live there during the season. [146] The four home runs were tied for the most allowed in a postseason game. Kershaw made his sixth straight opening day start in 2016 as the Dodgers won 150. Kershaw pitched a no-hitter in this very match and ended up striking out 15 batters. A decade later, Kershaws future is unclear because his contract is set to expire in November. Leslie made sure Clayton had his own Christmas stocking in the Melson house before he and Ellen graduated from Highland Park. Its the most exhausting segment of his two-hour lower-body workout. Theyd quietly carve out a life in the Park Cities the way their parents did before them, giving back where they could, the years rolling by with no need to update the paradigm they settled on as those 23-year-old newlyweds. The D sports editor's "Faith, Family, and Fastballs" cover story explores the future hall of famer's baseball career while focusing on the Park . The Kershaw family spends the offseason in Dallas but owns a home in Los Angeles. [231] His father, Christopher George Kershaw, was a musician and won a Clio Award for his work. Kershaws father was out of the picture for most of his life after his parents divorced when he was 10. [1][2] Kershaw has a career hits allowed per nine innings pitched average of 6.82, the third-lowest in MLB history. This extended his previous contract by one year and $28million. He did tie Koufax for the only Dodgers pitchers with multiple double-digit strikeout games in the playoffs. She made ballpark visits in the summer. Thats where the final check mark comes in: hell only pitch for one of two teams, the Dodgers or the Texas Rangers. He doesnt know whether hell pitch beyond this season, with the Dodgers or another club. Ellis, describes Kershaw's preparation and perfectionism during bullpen sessions prior to each start:[211] .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. A framed Roy Halladay Toronto Blue Jays jersey he admired the late Hall of Fame pitcher adorns one corner. On May 12, 2016, his team played against the New York Mets. [209], As noted by many teammates, Kershaw is a perfectionist. Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB).