Clayton Kershaws perfect ending has one final

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — How do you improve on the perfect ending?

Clayton Kershaw stood in the desert heat Monday, carrying a far darker shade of blue than the Dodgers do. He doesn’t need a medal, or a probability to fail. His election to the Hall of Fame will probably be a formality.

In his farewell 12 months, the Dodgers received the World Series, changing into baseball’s first back-to-back champions in 25 years. He secured a important out. He bathed in adoration at the championship rally, and he told the followers he could be one of them this 12 months.

“I’m going to watch,” he hollered that day, “just like all of you.”

Four months later, he was back in uniform.

He wore a darkish blue jersey with red-and-white piping. As Team USA ran through its first World Baseball Classic workout, Kershaw participated in pitchers’ fielding follow and shagged fly balls during batting follow. He might have been home with his 5 children, and instead he was speeding off the mound to take a throw at first base.

That November night time in Toronto, as it turned out, was not the last time we might see him in uniform.

“Feels good,” he said Monday. “I wouldn’t put on a uniform for anything else. This is a special thing.”

He put the World Baseball Classic into pink, white and blue perspective.

“It’s a bucket list thing for me,” he said.

He is either self-deprecating or painfully sincere about his capabilities proper now, or maybe a little of both.

The last World Baseball Classic got here down to Shohei Ohtani pitching to Mike Trout. This one might come down to Kershaw pitching to Ohtani.

“I think, for our country’s sake, it’s probably better if I don’t,” Kershaw said.

Never say never. Team USA deliberate to run a super rotation of Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, Joe Ryan and Logan Webb, but now Skubal says he’ll pitch just once in the event. Skenes says he’ll pitch twice. Ryan says he received’t pitch in the first spherical, at least.

Kershaw is likely to be needed past the function he was promised: save the crew from utilizing the current major league pitchers in blowouts or additional innings.

In 11 profession at-bats against Kershaw, Ohtani has no hits. Kershaw received’t duck the task if will get it, but he considers it so unlikely he’s comfortable to share his recreation plan publicly.

“It’s throw it, pitch away, play away, hope he flies out to left,” Kershaw said. “Don’t throw it in his barrel.

“I can’t imagine, if it comes down to USA versus Japan, with the arms that we have, that I’ll be needed. But I’ll be ready.”

Kershaw’s average fastball velocity dropped to 89 mph last season, but he led the majors in successful share. He might eat innings for some crew — perhaps even the Dodgers, with Blake Snell and Gavin Stone all but sure to be unavailable on opening day.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, proper, celebrates with teammates after the Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays for the 2025 World Series title.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

But, even with his success last 12 months and even with the enjoyment of carrying a uniform once again, he insists he isn’t in pitching past the WBC.

“I don’t want to,” he said. “You can’t end it better than I did last year. I had a great time last year. It was an absolute blast and honor to be on that team. I think that was the perfect way to end it. Honestly, I don’t know if I would have enough in the tank to pitch for a full season again. I’m really at peace with that decision.

“This is kind of a weird one-off thing, but you can’t really turn down this opportunity. It wasn’t easy to get ready for this, with no motivation for a season, but I actually am in a pretty good spot with my arm. I’ll be fine. If they need me, I’ll be ready.”

Kershaw said he has stored in contact with his outdated Dodgers teammates, with some connecting on video calls from the weight room or clubhouse at Camelback Ranch. He arrived in the Phoenix space two days before the workout, but he skipped a journey to Camelback Ranch.

“I’ve thought about it,” he said. “I miss the guys. I think it’s probably just better, at least for this first year, for me mentally to just stay away, just for spring training.”

Kershaw said he could be at Dodger Stadium for the championship ring ceremony March 27.

He is content with what he calls “Dad life.” He and his spouse, Ellen, just welcomed their fifth baby, and Dad life contains heaps of shuttles to baseball and basketball follow.

“I run an Uber service,” Kershaw said.

This wouldn’t be a Dodgers story these days without some reference to the crew’s big spending so, for what it’s price, Kershaw spent some time Tuesday chatting with Skubal, who would be the grand prize on the free-agent market next winter, or whenever the seemingly lockout would possibly end.

That’s a rational clarification, Kershaw says, for Skubal pitching just once in the WBC.

“Everybody knows the situation he is in, contract-wise,” Kershaw said. “Any innings we can get out of him is a huge bonus to this team. He’s great. Super competitive. We’re honored to have him.”

Should we assume Skubal will probably be pitching for the Dodgers next season? Kershaw laughed.

“No comment,” he said, then walked away to prepare for the first recreation of his post-retirement life.