Clayton Kershaw on fatherhood and his Dodgers future - Los Angeles Times In part 2 of an exclusive interview, Clayton Kershaw calls out MLB teams who arent trying and expands on off-field subjects such as the COVID vaccine. [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. [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. Clayton Kershaw makes $20,000,000.00 this year. Join our linker program. You pitch every fifth day, and if you lose, youre disappointed, Clayton says. Straight upper body. 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. [163] He had better results in Game 5, pitching seven innings and allowing one run on three hits and two walks while striking out nine. And so I dont want to miss that opportunity.. He and Ellen had two children then, both too young for school. He struck out 11 batters in the game without walking anyone and only allowed one run (a solo homer) on three hits to pick up the win. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Get our Dodgers Dugout newsletter for insights, news and much more. Be the first to know about Dallas' best events, contests, giveaways, and happenings each month. He has co-authored a book with his wife titled Arise to raise money for an orphanage. [12] Kershaw was selected by USA Today as "High School Baseball Player of the Year", and was also the Gatorade National Player of the Year for baseball. He doesnt know whether hell pitch beyond this season, with the Dodgers or another club. [44] He started the second game of the wild card series against the Milwaukee Brewers and threw eight scoreless innings while only allowing three hits and striking out 13. In and out in 45 minutes, [then] straight to the golf course.. They come through for their people. 17 min read. Each game was decided by a final score of 10 or 21, with many writers describing the matchups as historic and reminiscent of epic pitching duels of bygone eras. The Kershaws do not live in a compound. [151] Notably, he threw 39 sliders and generated only one swing and miss all game. It becomes real when I tell Ellen. Her heart for peopleher eagerness to make everyone feel important, like they belongcaptivated Clayton before any other quality. [210] Kershaw's former teammate and close friend, catcher A.J. [52] On May 29, he pitched the second complete-game shutout of his career, striking out 10 while winning a two-hitter against the Florida Marlins, 80; he also had two singles and an RBI, scoring twice in the game. I think thats been a big adjustment for us.. Free Agent: 2024, Nicknames: Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. He led MLB for four consecutive years from 2011-2014. [62], After the season, Kershaw was awarded the Warren Spahn Award as the best left-handed pitcher in 2011,[63] the Players Choice Award for Most Outstanding National League pitcher,[64] the Gold Glove Award as the top fielding pitcher in the NL[65] and the Sporting News (TSN) National League Pitcher of the Year. Crenshaw because too many people in L.A. have assumed he and a boulevard share the same name. [134], He started 21 games in 2016, with a 124 record and 1.69 ERA. Now as Kershaw raises his children, Ellen makes sure Cali, Charley and Cooper are with their dad as much as possible during the baseball season. Enjoy unlimited access to all of our incredible journalism, in print and digital. [131] On July 20, the Dodgers shut down Kershaw for an indefinite period of time. He highlighted a ball at 154km/hr and was rated Dodgers second best in his first match by Baseball America. The powerful left-hander spent just two and a . [227] One of his favorite players growing up was former San Francisco Giants first baseman Will Clark, and the main reason he wears number 22 is to honor Clark. But his match arrived last year. [161] He started the second game of the series and pitched eight scoreless innings while allowing only two hits. Turners reappearance became a national controversy. This was the sixth straight 200 strikeout season for Kershaw, tying Sandy Koufax for the most in Dodgers franchise history. [34] Sportswriter Tony Jackson called Kershaw's debut the most anticipated start by a Dodgers pitcher since Hideo Nomo's MLB debut during the 1995 season. Add in the allure of playing at home, where he could walk the kids to school each morning and hang out with Ellen on an off day, and his pal Josh says he could totally see him figuring it out with the Rangers before taking off his cleats for good. NEXT: Former Dodgers Infielder David Freese Speaks Up About Lockout. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. One of the best pitchers in the history of baseball lives a relatively quiet life in the Park Cities with his family despite finding superstardom in Los Angeles. And card games, Ellen says with a grin, are not good for us, because theyre too competitive with each other. Theres some truth to that burden.. Closer to home, Kershaw helped the Players Alliance, a group of current and former Black professional baseball players created to increase opportunities for the Black community, distribute 350 carloads of food, COVID-19 supplies and baseball equipment. And so perhaps the answer to the Kershaws grand question is less about what than who. [97], Kershaw had a 41-inning scoreless streak that ended in the top of the sixth inning on July 10 when, with two outs, Chase Headley homered to left field at Dodger Stadium. And along with the joy came relief. Clayton Kershaw Wins No. 200 in Style as Dodgers Blank Mets 5-0 He also won the Clio award for his work in music. He picked up his first career postseason victory in that game. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous . (Kershaw Family) 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. Days he pitched were, and are, fiercely regimented. Clayton Edward Kershaw was born on March 19, 1988 in Dallas, Texas. Kershaws love for children predated his own. [251][252], Kershaw and his wife, Ellen, co-authored a book, Arise: Live Out Your Faith and Dreams on Whatever Field You Find Yourself, about their Christian faith and humanitarian efforts. He was recalled on July 22. The Giants said only that Crawford left for a family emergency, and while they would not elaborate, Crawford's wife Jalynne posted on Instagram the devastating news that one of her sisters died.. [247][248], In addition to Hope's Home and Kershaw's Challenge, he has also helped with other programs in Los Angeles, such as helping Habitat for Humanity demolish and rehabilitate a house in Lynwood, California. Josh Meredith, Claytons childhood best friend and the best man in the Kershaws wedding, recalls a pack of about eight boys who werent really cool enough to be doing crazy things on Fridays and Saturdays. To accomplish his goal, Kershaw pledged a donation of $100 per strikeout recorded in 2011. They have their friends out there and family room and they dont know any different. Pregame stretch begins at 6:23, which is followed by an allotted four minutes of Zen time at 6:36, catch at 6:40, and one final bullpen session at 6:47 or 6:48 (theres wiggle room there). [38][39] Kershaw finished his rookie season 55, with a 4.26 ERA in 22 games (21 starts). Con Kershaw dominante; Dodgers superan a Cardenales 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. [69] On April 27, he was able to last through eight innings for his second win of the season against the Washington Nationals. And so I think kindergarten, this is an easy year for us to pull [Cali] out and go to spring training and do the season and stuff. The story youre about to read begins with a $5.35 purchase on Amazon. Clayton Kershaw was born on Saturday, March 19, 1988, in Dallas, Texas. [13] He also pitched for USA Baseball's Junior National Team in the Pan Am Championship. Free agent pitcher Clayton Kershaw took to the internet for a big little announcement on Friday. [156], Kershaw made his team-record eighth opening-day start in 2018. Does he want one? But I do feel like theres a lightness.. His family is about to expand. Ten days later, Turner apologized and Major League Baseball announced it wouldnt discipline him. ", "Clayton Kershaw is still the best pitcher on the planet, and he's only getting better", "Picking the National League's best defenders", "5 Lessons from MVPs Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw", "Philanthropic Kershaw honored with Rickey Award", "Kershaw recognized as Sportsman of Year", "Clayton Kershaw Shares Sportsman of the Year With Mike Trout", "Kershaw, Gonsolin join starters Betts, T. Turner as All-Stars", "Kershaw Named Best Prospect By Midwest League", "Kershaw named National League Pitcher of the Month", "Two wins earn Kershaw NL Player of Week Award", "Clayton Kershaw wins NL Player of the Week", "Players tab Kershaw as NL's Outstanding Pitcher", "Clayton Kershaw Named Recipient of the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet", "Kershaw named Roy Campanella Award recipient", "Clayton Kershaw wins Roy Campanella Award for 2nd straight year", "Clayton Kershaw, Frank Howard recognized", "Kershaw headlines the 2006 All-USA high school baseball team", "Highland Park High School has produced 2017's highest-paid NFL and MLB players", "Clayton Kershaw's great expectations MLB", "Clayton Kershaw disses International Astronomers Union over Pluto", "Christopher George Clayton Kershaw (19492013) Obituary", "Cy Young winner's wife is granddaughter of Abilene baseball fan", "Ellen and Clayton Kershaw Welcome Cali Ann Kershaw to the World", "Welcome to the world, Cooper Ellis Kershaw! He also won the title of Most Valuable Player in the year 2014. Africa had captured Ellens heart ever since she watched an Oprah special about poverty on the continent as a teenager and made her first mission trip to Zambia at 18 years old. [136] He struggled in Game Six, allowing five runs in five innings to pick up the loss as the Dodgers were eliminated from post-season contention. [33], On May 24, 2008, the Dodgers bought Kershaw's minor-league contract, and he was added to the active roster. [89] The average annual value of $30.7 million was also the largest ever for a baseball player, beating the $28 million Roger Clemens received in 2007 and the 10-year, $275 million contract that Alex Rodriguez signed that same year. Faith, Family, and Fastballs: Clayton Kershaw Has Always Belonged To Everybody was trying to do the right thing protocol-wise, and everybody kind of took partial responsibility at the end of it, which was the right thing to do and we can move on from there., I feel like there has been definitely, like you can tell, that a burden has been lifted.. 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. He was awarded the National League Player of the Week award for the week of June 2026 as a result of those two starts. Theyre baseball kids through and through, accustomed to life on the move. The organization has partnered with groups such as Behind Every Door, For Oak Cliff, and Mercy Street Dallas, and Clayton and Ellen make a point of bringing their children with them into South and West Dallas whenever possible. This is your chance to understand why. I probably would never have admitted all of this two years ago or whenever before when we lost, Kershaw said. Above all, the baseball lifestyle must continue to work for their family. May 25, 2008 Meet the Kershaws, Who Still Call the Park Cities Home 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. The Kershaws pay all overhead to maintain the two organizations so that every donated pennyincluding their own annual contribution to Kershaws Challengecan go to charity instead of expenses. [62] Since 1965 when Koufax did it, Peavy and Kershaw are only two pitchers in the National League have led the league in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched). This extended his previous contract by one year and $28million. But its getting more difficult as the kids get older. This winter, he didnt shoulder the weight of another failure, didnt agonize about a back-breaking October home run, didnt wonder whether hell ever reach baseballs summit. Calis sixth birthday was in 10 days. The Kershaws always have been and always will be Dallasites. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. He is a nine-time All-Star, three-time National League (NL) and Cy Young. I feel like we really do have probably one degree of separation from the majority of people, Clayton says. [24] He was selected to play on the East Team in the Midwest League All-Star Game[25] and on the USA team in the All-Star Futures Game. So. I just want to do it, do it, do it. And theres this passion and it just constantly builds and builds and builds. But with several dozen players being added to every teams minor league system each year, the baseball draft is less a crapshoot than a prayer. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. [87] On November 13, he won the NL Cy Young Award for the second time in three seasons. Clayton Kershaw was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1st round (7th) of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft from Highland Park HS (Dallas, TX). He recognizes its a complication all athletes, even future first-ballot Hall of Famers, eventually encounter.