Kershaw Retiring, In Bullpen for Game 7

Clayton Kershaw is sitting in the bullpen for Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, which will be the final game of his 18-year major-league career after he announced his retirement weeks earlier. He has been celebrated by the Dodgers, teammates and the broader baseball community and told MLB Network he’s been emotional and grateful. Kershaw has had a limited postseason role this year, working mostly in relief — he escaped a bases-loaded jam in extra innings of Game 3 and also pitched in the NLCS — as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has used him sparingly amid a decline in velocity. Game 5 at Dodger Stadium served as his final home appearance, a nostalgic night with his wife, children and teammates when he posed for pictures and walked off the mound for the last time. Kershaw leaves a decorated legacy — three Cy Young Awards, an NL MVP, more than 3,000 career strikeouts, multiple All-Star selections and World Series hardware — virtually assuring Hall of Fame induction.