Clayton Kershaw took the mound at Dodger Stadium 248 times during his illustrious 18-year Major League career. And following Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night, he stood on that mound for the final time as a player.
Kershaw, who announced last month that he would retire after this season, walked for one last time as a player on the field on which he made so many unforgettable memories and established himself as one of the greatest starting pitchers in baseball history.
The veteran left-hander posed for pictures and took in one last moment at Chavez Ravine before he hangs up his spikes -- playing with his children, embracing his wife and chatting with other family and friends as he soaked in the atmosphere.
It was a special moment for Kershaw, who posted an incredible 2.26 ERA over 1,479 2/3 innings at Dodger Stadium -- the only other pitcher to have an ERA that low over 1,000 or more innings pitched in that venerable ballpark was Don Drysdale, who had a 2.19 ERA over 1,107 innings there.
Kershaw's 117 wins at Dodger Stadium are second only to Don Sutton's 126 -- Sutton made 50 more appearances and pitched nearly 600 more innings there. Many of Kershaw's notable achievements came at Dodger Stadium, including a 15-strikeout no-hitter of the Rockies on June 18, 2014, as well as his 3,000th career strikeout on July 2, 2025.
Following a career that featured three Cy Young Awards, a National League MVP Award, the pitching triple crown, 11 All-Star selections, five ERA titles and two World Series titles, Kershaw's final moments as a player at Dodger Stadium will be indelibly etched in his mind.
But, as Hall of Famer Derek Jeter -- who himself spent his entire 20-year MLB career with one team before being inducted into the Hall of Fame -- said on the FOX postgame show following World Series Game 5, this won't be the last time Kershaw throws a pitch from the Dodger Stadium mound.
Nor will it be the last time he watches the Dodgers there. Before he eventually takes his rightful place in Cooperstown, he'll take his rightful place beside another legendary southpaw with whom he has so often been compared.
"It's awesome that he gets to go out here and spend this last moment with his family," Jeter said. "Next time he's on that mound, he'll be throwing out the first pitch, probably Opening Day. He'll be sitting right there next to Sandy Koufax."