(Mostly) retired Kershaw relishing chance to don Stars and Stripes

Clayton Kershaw may have retired from MLB, but he's still pitching against Major League teams.

The decorated left-hander, who won three Cy Young Awards, an MVP Award, 11 All-Star selections and three World Series rings over 18 Major League seasons, called it a career following the Dodgers' 2025 World Series championship.

But there was still one more item on his to-do list: win the World Baseball Classic title with Team USA.

On Wednesday at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Ariz., Kershaw pitched in Team USA's 14-4 exhibition win over the Rockies. And the Rockies aren't shedding too many tears now that they're no longer going to have to face him during the regular season.

After Kershaw threw two-thirds of an inning, Rockies TV broadcaster and former outfielder Ryan Spilborghs said what many Rockies players and fans were already thinking as he wrapped up his in-game interview with the likely future Hall of Famer.

"On behalf of all the Rockies," Spilborghs said, "we are happy to see you gone."

And you can see why. Spilborghs faced no pitcher more often than Kershaw during his career with the Rockies from 2005-11, and he hit .167 (6-for-36) with 13 strikeouts in 42 plate appearances against him.

The Rockies as a team vs. Kershaw? A .231/.286/.351 slash line and 25% strikeout rate over 1,279 plate appearances. Oh, and he threw the only no-hitter of his career against them, back in 2014.

To be fair, there are a lot of players and teams around baseball who are glad they don't have to face Kershaw again -- those who aren't playing in the WBC, anyway; players participating in the tournament might still have to contend with the legendary lefty.

And Kershaw is living out one more aspect of his dream as he wraps up his days on the mound.

"It's been a blast, man," Kershaw told Spilborghs. "It's a bucket-list thing for me to get to do this and be a part of this group. ... It means a lot, you know? I've wanted to do this for a long time, especially after watching the Winter Olympics and seeing the hockey guys and girls -- it just feels like it's a really cool thing to do and to be able to win gold and have ‘USA’ on our chest, it's pretty special."

While the goal is to win the WBC, Kershaw is also taking it all in with his family, which gets another chance to watch him pitch.

And get pictures taken.

"Yeah, that's what my wife said: 'I just need a picture of you with our newest [child] with your jersey on,'" Kershaw said, smiling. "It's pretty cool that it gets to be in a Team USA jersey."