Clayton Kershaw, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ left-hander, delivered a vintage performance Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The veteran southpaw allowed one run on six hits, no walks, and seven strikeouts over five innings. Kershaw had his greatest start of the season, pitching four scoreless innings before giving up a run in the fifth.
The three-time Cy Young winner’s seven strikeouts placed him just 17 away from 3,000. Kershaw would become the 20th member of the 3,000 strikeout club if he accomplished the goal this season.
Before Kershaw helped the Dodgers avoid the sweep, the Cardinals elected to repeat one of the left-hander’s few low points in his career. The video screen showed Kershaw letting up a three-run home run to Matt Adams during the 2014 National League Division Series.
“I think it’s a little bush league, but I don’t expect anything less from these guys,” Kershaw told the crowd. “So, it’s no worries.”
Perhaps the pregame taunt acted as inspiration for the veteran, as he delivered his finest performance yet in 2025.
This is not the first time a team has tried to make fun of the 18-year veteran, but the results speak for themselves. The Dodgers trounced the Cardinals 7-3 on Sunday, before returning to California for a three-game series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park beginning Monday night.
Kershaw has a 4.35 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and a 1.548 WHIP through five starts this season. The lefty started the season on the injured list while recovering from two offseason surgeries, but he returned early in May.
The Dodgers’ pitching staff has suffered a rash of injuries, leaving them just three key pitchers remaining in the rotation: ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dustin May, and Clayton Kershaw.
