The Dodgers Clayton Kershaw, left, and Austin Barnes hold the Commissioners Trophy after winning the 2020 World Series championship. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. [229] Kershaw's mother, born Marianne Tombaugh,[230] is the adopted daughter of Clyde Tombaugh's younger brother, Robert Tombaugh. During the 2013 offseason, the Dodgers signed Kershaw to a franchise record seven-year, $215 million contract extension. [159] He rejoined the roster on June 23. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Big market teams are not trying to win: Clayton Kershaw gets candidon many topics, he didnt shoulder the weight of another failure. Clayton doesnt want the kiddos, as he refers to them, to miss him the way he already misses them. [132] On August 3, Kershaw was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. It just happens to be plastic and kid-size. It could end in seven months. On the opposite side hangs the framed jersey of former Dodgers catcher Brad Ausmus, who wrote a message with five reasons he enjoyed playing with Kershaw in the final two seasons of his career in 2009 and 2010. Clayton won the Pitching Triple Crown in 2011. Three times hes been named the best pitcher in the National League, and once, in 2014, the best player, period. [81] On September 2, Kershaw picked up his 200th strikeout of 2013, joining Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale as the only starters in Dodgers history with at least four consecutive seasons of more than 200 strikeouts. The goal is to peak when he does, he joked. Which, for him, makes this more than a return home. [142] He returned to the mound on September 1,[143] but despite his extended absence, he went on to lead the National League in earned run average and wins. When Id go over there for dinner, thered be 15 people. By all accounts, the Kershaw kids are thriving, in no small part due to Ellen being the sort of mother who is not only capable of ferrying four children around the country but also one who embraces the adventure in doing so. Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw with his wife, Ellen, and children (from left) Charley, Cooper and Cali. Shes convinced shes watching Claytons early years through Charley. Theres no telling what that will look like, either. Its crazy.. Clayton Kershaw, left, talks with former Dodgers teammate and then-Angels manager Brad Ausmus, right, in Anaheim. Its something I didnt understand. 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. I sit, and three fastballs down the middle. Hell turn 33 next month. Inside, the creams and grays of the first floor are classy and elegant, but similarly give little away. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. As of 2015, he has an estimated net worth of $40 million. UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet carries the ball during a win over Utah on Oct. 8. In 2011, he struck out 11 batters from Detroit Tigers team in just nine innings. [190] He started 22 games for the Dodgers during the season, with a 108 record and 3.55 ERA, the highest since his rookie season. Mookie might be better than me, he admitted, a nod to his teammate Mookie Betts. Last month, he casually revealed that he didnt travel to Driveline this winter but has stayed in contact with the programs trainers for workout guidance. (Super Smash Bros., a 1999 Nintendo 64 game, was a particular favorite; Clayton played as Kirby, the pink blob.) [44] On offense, he led the major leagues with 15 sacrifice hits. Thats in addition to the Kershaw Foundation, which is directly backed by the couples income and funds grants to a network of charities benefiting similar causes. He also hit a grand slam. [177] In the NLDS against the San Diego Padres, he also started the second game and allowed three runs in six innings while striking out six. And I know that he doesnt want to miss those little special moments that can happen any and every day with your kids. Days he pitched were, and are, fiercely regimented. Whose friends know the story about Clayton enlisting a buddy to ask ESPN sideline reporter Suzy Kolber for a picture with them on a guys trip to the Super Bowl because Clayton was too shy to approach her himself. Its always good journalistic practice to read someones book as research, no matter how dated, but in this case, it was essential. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 12:21AM. Seven more to go. [15][16] The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Kershaw with the seventh overall pick in the draft. High School: Highland Park HS (Dallas, TX), Debut: [141] On July 23, Kershaw left the game due to back tightness. Clayton Kershaw, 192 starts, ONE no-hitter Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) June 19, 2014 This was the 22nd no-hitter in Dodgers history, and the second for LA in about a month, after Josh Beckett . He didnt return to his peak until March, right around when the lockout ended and he was free to sign a new one-year contract with Los Angeles, hardly anyone the wiser that he spent most of the offseason wondering whether retirement had come for him rather than the other way around. [58] On August 23, he struck out Matt Holliday of the St. Louis Cardinals for his 200th strikeout of the season and became the 10th Dodger pitcher to record back-to-back 200 strikeout seasons and the first since Chan-Ho Park did it in the 2001 season. If Im pitching average, I dont want to pitch, he says. They have a blast, Kershaw said. But you can come pretty darn close. Seventy percent of the money raised in 2012 went to Arise Africa, with 10 percent each going to the Peacock Foundation in Los Angeles, Mercy Street in Dallas, and I Am Second. LOS ANGELES (AP) Clayton Kershaw continued his dominant start to the season with seven sharp innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the struggling St. Louis Cardinals 1-0 on Saturday night. Its sweatshirt weather on a Thursday night in early November, and the backyard at The Rustic is decorated like a Yellowstone set, dotted with hay bales and Pendleton blankets. [232], On December 4, 2010, Kershaw married his girlfriend of seven years, Ellen Melson. Heres where the comparison stops: unlike Nowitzki and his wife, Jessica, the Kershaws refused to lay down roots anywhere other than their hometown. [170] Kershaw picked up his 166th career win on August 20 against the Toronto Blue Jays, passing Koufax for the most wins ever by a Dodger left-handed pitcher. [198], On April 18, Kershaw recorded his 200th career win against the New York Mets, becoming the 3rd pitcher in Dodgers history to accomplish that feat. And its all our kids know at this point, Ellen said. So he has worked out six days a week to complement his offseason throwing regimen. [30] Kershaw was 03 and had a 2.28 ERA with 47 strikeouts through .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}43+13 innings pitched in his first stint of the year with the Suns. Signed thru 2023, 1 yr/$20M (23), Service Time (01/2023): 14.105 As such, the Kershaws are the very best kind of Park Cities story, a byproduct of its espoused ideals. A shower too. The three-time Cy Young Award winner improved to 200-88 in 405 games (402 starts) over . Cooper, Ellen said, is probably left-handed like his dad, but Charley is the clone. After the trip, he announced his dream of building an orphanage in Lusaka, which he called "Hope's Home" after 11-year-old Hope, an HIV-positive child Kershaw met in Zambia. In this era, few men have executed more good pitches than Kershaw. Clayton Kershaw is Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports The story you're about to read begins with a $5.35 purchase on Amazon. [234][235] During the season, they reside in Studio City, California, and they live in University Park, Texas, during the offseason. Its just crazy that she spends so much time at school now. [59], Over the course of the season, Kershaw pitched opposite two-time Cy Young Award winner and three-time defending NL strikeout leader Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants in four particularly memorable matchups. Life together began in the Park Cities, and it will continue there, too, in a house thats eight blocks from Ellens older brother, Jed, and just two from her childhood home, which is another eight from Claytons. [77] Kershaw picked up his 1,000th career strikeout on April 17, 2013, when he struck out Yonder Alonso of the Padres. In the years since its founding, Kershaws Challenge has ballooned to work with organizations in Dallas, Los Angeles, Africa, and the Dominican Republic, the latter of which was driven by Clayton after years of bonding with Latin American teammates. [96] He was selected to the National League squad at the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, his fourth straight selection. Clayton Kershaw is joined by Dodgers and Compton city officials for a Dodgers Dreamfields groundbreaking at Gonzales Park on Feb. 12, 2020. So all that other stuff will take care of itself.. Instead, rookie Dustin May got his first opening Day nod. We talk about that, not really, huh, Kershaw said, looking over at Ellen. [83] He was the third player in history to lead the Majors in ERA three years in a row, joining Greg Maddux (199395) and Lefty Grove (192931). You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Don't miss any of the Dodgers latest News, Rumors, and Exclusive Offers! And so I dont want to miss that opportunity.. He was additionally selected as the starting pitcher for the TSN NL All-Star Team. Clayton Kershaw ranks amongst the greatest pitchers of the 21st century, winning multiple Cy Young awards and a National League MVP, while also helping the Los Angeles Dodgers take home the World Series crown in 2020. [49] Later in the season, he was suspended for five games after hitting Aaron Rowand of the Giants with a pitch in a game on July 20. His 2.48 career earned run average (ERA) and 1.00 walks plus hits per inning pitched rate (WHIP) are the lowest among starters in the live-ball era (minimum 1,000 innings pitched). She made ballpark visits in the summer. [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. His parents divorced when he was 10, and he was raised by his mother. Lets just make things better for people and make things better for kids.. For a typical 7:10 pm start, he leaves for the ballpark at 12:53. It stings, it hurts. Clayton Kershaw celebrates with his family after the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series in Arlington, Texas. Free agent pitcher Clayton Kershaw took to the internet for a big little announcement on Friday. Despite only being at 80 pitches, Kershaw said he agreed with the decision because he had not been built up due to a shortened spring training caused by the offseason lockout. He said he hasnt discussed a contract extension with the Dodgers. He was the 8th Dodger pitcher to win the award, the first since ric Gagn in the 2003 season. In 2015, San Francisco Giants ended up losing from the Dodgers team by getting 13 batters struck out by Kershaw. A scoreboard overlooked the room. I've got to figure things out. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. [210] Kershaw's former teammate and close friend, catcher A.J. [156], Kershaw made his team-record eighth opening-day start in 2018. He recognizes its a complication all athletes, even future first-ballot Hall of Famers, eventually encounter. I feel like there has been definitely, like you can tell, that a burden has been lifted. Kershaw (3-1) struck out nine to pass Mickey Lolich for 22nd place on the career list with 2,833 strikeouts. The Dodgers have won six National League West titles and advanced to three World Series in Friedmans six seasons. Like the rest of the baseball world, he has taken notice. But his heart has always remained in the Park Cities, where he and his wife, Ellen, grew up. Kershaw's first taste of a 1.000 WHIP on the dot was in his major league debut on May 25, 2008, when he allowed five hits and a walk in six innings. [45] At 21 years old, he started the opener of the 2009 NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies and was the third youngest pitcher to ever start a playoff series opener, behind only Fernando Valenzuela in the 1981 NLDS and Rick Ankiel in the 2000 NLDS. Clayton Kershaw Position: Pitcher Bats: Left Throws: Left 6-4 , 225lb (193cm, 102kg) Team: Los Angeles Dodgers (majors) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info MVP 3x Cy Young Triple Crown 9x All-Star 2020 World Series Gold Glove 5x ERA Title ML PoY 54 22 Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. That was the third most strikeouts by a Dodger pitcher in the playoffs, behind only Koufax (15 in the 1963 World Series) and Carl Erskine (14 in the 1953 World Series). [26] On August 6, he was promoted to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns in the Southern League,[27] where he produced a 12 record and 3.65 ERA in five starts[28] and was selected as the top prospect in the Dodgers organization heading into the 2008 season. Dallas real estate developer Ruel Hamilton was convicted of bribery in 2021 and sentenced to eight years in prison, but the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to delay his sentence until it rules on his case. [42] On May 17, 2009, Kershaw did not allow a hit against the Florida Marlins through 7 innings, then gave up a lead-off double to Florida's Cody Ross. I just want everyone to have the same equal opportunity to have a good life, Kershaw said. [50] He threw his first career complete game shutout on September 14, 2010, also against San Francisco and finished the season with a record of 1310 and a 2.91 ERA in 32 starts, pitching 204+13 innings and recording 212 strikeouts. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. [197], Kershaw made 22 starts in 2022, finishing with a 123 record and 2.28 ERA. They come through for their people. The closest anyone else has gotten is 125. He and New York Mets starter Jacob deGrom were the first pair of starters to each throw at least 11 strikeouts in the same postseason game in MLB history. [158] He returned to the team for one start on May 31, during which he experienced a recurrence of his chronic back pain and was put back on the disabled list. Chance James joins big sister Cali and big brothers Charley and Cooper in the Kershaw crew. [192], On April 30, Kershaw struck out Dustin Garneau of the Detroit Tigers to tie Don Sutton for the Dodgers franchise strikeout record at 2,696. No spam, ever. Jorge Castillo is a sports enterprise reporter, with a focus on baseball, for the Los Angeles Times. His elbow held up far better last season, his best in years. Latest on Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN Stepping back into Stroud's 2019 reality, time was running out for him to grab the spotlight. That changed this Ukrainian refugees destiny. And it did. [17] He had committed to Texas A&M University, but turned down the scholarship offer to sign with the Dodgers,[12][18] with a bonus estimated at $2.3 million. In Game 5, he entered the game in relief of Walker Buehler with two outs in the seventh inning and struck out Adam Eaton. That was a very hard situation all the way through, and I dont think everybody fully grasped exactly what was going on, Kershaw said. Clayton savors the off seasons, when his days are free to sling mashed potatoes during his regular cafeteria shifts at Hyer Elementary. [74], Kershaw finished 2012 with a 149 record, a 2.53 ERA (leading the league), 229 strikeouts, and 227+23 innings pitched, coming second in both categories. The tournament raises money for Kershaw's Challenge and features past and present members of the Dodgers, high-profile celebrities, and team sponsors. Faith, Family, and Fastballs: Clayton Kershaw Has Always Belonged To Dallas. Suite 2100 Manage Settings Maybe mix in an elliptical every once in a while. Wednesday and Saturday are cardio. Instead, a funny thing happened, a development neither of them foresaw: Clayton Kershaw learned how to throw a baseball better than almost everyone in history. After being one of the last marquee free agents to sign a season ago, he was among the first in 2023. Its a challenge, to sustain that level of emotional availability and physical presence for four young people, who someday might travel different paths from both their parents and each other. He was 40 with a 1.10 ERA in the month with 48 strikeouts and only 10 walks. Cute baby. [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. 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. 750 North St.Paul St. He is one of two pitchers in MLB history, along with Max Scherzer, with 15 strikeouts in a game while allowing no hits and no walks. Its a used copy of a 2011 book called Arise: Live Out Your Faith and Dreams on Whatever Field You Find Yourself, and its written by Clayton Kershaw, his wife, Ellen, and Ellens sister, Ann Higginbottom. It was the first home run Kershaw had allowed in his career to a left-handed batter off his curveball. He shows it off every year playing ping pong at spring training in the Dodgers clubhouse at Camelback Ranch. Last February, Ellen felt her stomach drop when she picked up his call from a father-daughter dance he was attending with Cali Ann. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. (16-13, 1st place in NL West). He struck out all 15 batters he faced in the game, which was shortened because of the mercy rule. Aside from the custom gym built to replicate the one Clayton works out in at Dodger Stadium, every inch of the setup suggests telecom vice president more than most accomplished starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. If you live in University Park, you have almost certainly driven by the Kershaw house and with little notice. [207][208] According to Al Leiter in the 2018 season, the average spin rate of his curve ball was listed to be barely above league average (2497 rpm, 2484 rpm league average), but he is still able to use the pitch effectively due to better control and location, and having similar release action to Sandy Koufax. Shes like a real kid now, Kershaw said. We will absolutely take any excuse to put Willie Nelson on the cover of our magazine. Two years later, in 2011, he made the first of nine All-Star games and won his first Cy Young Award, given to the best pitcher in each league. He speaks even less frequently concerning topics beyond the baseball diamond. He led MLB for four consecutive years from 2011-2014. It became his fifth straight all-star selection, joining Sandy Koufax and Fernando Valenzuela as the only Dodgers pitchers to accomplish that feat. And now you can learn plenty about their world herepast, present, and future. Claytons' father, Christopher George Kershaw, was a musician. [186] Initially it was hoped he would only miss a short time, but he had setbacks in his rehab which necessitated a longer stint on the injured list. [19], Kershaw began his career with the Gulf Coast League (GCL) Dodgers. [209], As noted by many teammates, Kershaw is a perfectionist. He also walked twice as a batter, becoming just the third pitcher in the last 20 years to do so in a postseason game (after Jon Lester in the 2016 NLCS and Derek Lowe in the 2008 NLDS). [54], In his next start, on June 26, Kershaw pitched another complete game (against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). Out of the windup, Kershaw lowers his right foot vertically with a slight pause before moving it forward toward the plate. Ellen and Clayton Kershaw already know a thing or two about uncertain futures. LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw 's resurgent 2022 campaign has been put on hold, at least temporarily. Nor can Claytons body. Its a breezy read, 200 pages on the dot. At the time, it was the largest bonus conferred to any Dodgers draft pick, and remained so until it was topped by the $5.25 million that Zach Lee, another Texas high school pitcher, earned from the 2010 draft. It would be something I would never want to give up and they wouldnt either.. Kershaw was a highly collectible player . Clayton and Ellen Kershaw visit with children on their second visit to Lusaka, Zambia, in 2012. Not even when they lived on opposite schedules and opposite ends of the country. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has accumulated quite the resume over the course of his 15-year MLB career. This extended his previous contract by one year and $28million. Bible study was a staple. The girls, meanwhile, were on the Highland Park Belles andbonded over Oprah Winfrey, whose talk show theyd watch after school and compare notes on the following day at school. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Not long ago, there wouldnt have been a conversation. With the addition of Trevor Bauer, who will be the odd men out in Dodgers rotation? [129] On June 30, 2016, Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to back pain. Theyve mellowed him out. Dallas, Texas 75201. He is a renowned American baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, born on March 19, 1988, in Dallas, Texas. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Youll see what I mean when you get into the story, but one passage from that book shaped the entire direction of my story after I sat down with the Kershaws in their University Park home. Clayton delivered a handwritten letter and his beige suit matched her bridesmaids dresses. Above all, the baseball lifestyle must continue to work for their family. [231] His father, Christopher George Kershaw, was a musician and won a Clio Award for his work. [80] In July, he compiled a 41 record and 1.34 ERA in six starts and was awarded his second National League Pitcher of the Month Award. [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. When you make him laugh, you feel like youre on top of the world. Sand down the layers, though, and youll discover the goof, the prankster, the connector. Clayton Kershaw has 41 strikeouts this season and 2,848 strikeouts over his career. [5][6][7] He has led MLB in ERA five times, and was the first major league pitcher to do so in four consecutive years (20112014). This, the Kershaws believe, is their purpose: the reason why Clayton was blessed with otherworldly talent, the reason they were brought together, and the reason they now possess such wealth. 5949 Sherry Ln Dallas, TX 75225 6714 Belford Dr Dallas, TX 75214. vs. STL 6.0 IP, 5 H, 7 SO, 1 BB, 2 ER, Rookie Status: Plenty of people in Dallas have never known a different one. Ellen, their philanthropic compass, had already begun her charity work in Zambia, which would become the cornerstone of Kershaws Challenge, their faith-based, others-focused charity that has raised more than $20 million to date for organizations spanning three countries. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. Two fastballs inside, two fastballs away, two changeups, one fastball inside, two curveballs, one fastball inside, two sliders. I was just like, Ill just show up. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? And, after a half-decade of chasing a World Series, of absorbing nationwide bile each time the Dodgers failed, Clayton had his Dirk-esque redemption in 2020, winning his long-awaited ring in Arlington, at Globe Life Field, which hosted playoff games as a neutral site due to the pandemic. He sees a physical therapist twice a week and throws with a small group of professional pitchers at Highland Park High, where he starred down the road.