Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw officially concluded his legendary baseball career following the team’s triumphant 2025 World Series victory. The Dodgers clinched back-to-back World Series titles on Saturday, November 1st, securing a hard-fought Game 7 win against the Toronto Blue Jays in 11 innings – a decisive 5-4 victory.
Kershaw, 37, had announced his retirement plans in September after 18 seasons with the Dodgers. In a poignant interview following the win, he expressed his overwhelming emotions, admitting, “I have so many emotions. I think all of us do. It’s Game 7 and I think about it all. I’m gonna miss it like crazy, putting on my [uniform] for the last time… But, at the end of the day, when you think about it, getting to be out here for a Game 7 as your last game. How cool is that, man?”
Yoshinobu Yamamoto ultimately closed out the game with a game-winning double play.
The celebration extended beyond the field. Kershaw’s wife, Ellen Kershaw, and their four children – Cali, Charley, Cooper, and Chance – were regularly in attendance throughout the postseason. The star pitcher revealed that a fifth child, a daughter, is on the way, adding, “We’ve got #5 coming. We’ve got another girl coming. We’ve got bookend girls to go with our three boys.”
A noteworthy moment occurred before Game 3 when the Dodgers pitching roster experienced a change. Alex Vesia was taking time away due to a personal matter. The team announced, “It’s with a heavy heart that we share that Alex Vesia is away from the team as he and his wife Kayla navigate a deeply personal family matter. The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family and we will provide an update at a later date.”
The team honored Vesia by stitching his number into their hats. Dodgers pitcher Evan Phillips shared, “We certainly miss him on the field, but we know that we have his back and the support’s there for them while they’re going through this hard time.”
The victory marked the end of an extraordinary career for Clayton Kershaw, a player synonymous with the Dodgers and a cornerstone of baseball for nearly two decades.