Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw made an emotional farewell tour last year after announcing in September that he would retire at the end of the 2025 MLB season. Kershaw obtained another legendary momentwas able to once again pay tribute to Dodgers fans and leave MLB as a champion.
But apparently Kershaw’s retirement from baseball only applied to MLB, not the 2026 World Baseball Classic. To the surprise of many, Kershaw, 37, was added to Team USA on Thursday and will pitch for the team in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
Barring a complete upset of Kershaw, the tournament will mark the last time he pitches in a professional setting.
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Since the start of the offseason, Team USA’s roster has started to take shape. It became clear almost immediately that the United States was hungry to win the event, as Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge quickly committed to the club. Over the next few weeks, they were joined by other MLB stars like Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh and Bobby Witt Jr., among others.
Although Kershaw is far from his peak seasons, he remains a big name in the sport. Kershaw is arguably the best pitcher of his era and a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer by the time he becomes eligible for that honor.
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Even with his reduced velocity and workload in his final MLB seasons, Kershaw still managed a 3.36 ERA in his final year in the majors, a testament to both his talent and intelligence as a pitcher.
Team USA will have to hope those same skills are on display in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Kershaw proved late in the year that he can bring value to the Dodgers bullpen. He could be used in the same role with Team USA.
Regardless, Kershaw’s addition to the team adds some excitement to the tournament ahead of its start in March. The Dodgers legend already had a perfect ending to his MLB career, winning a championship. He could further enhance his already impeccable legacy by also leaving baseball with a gold medal in his final professional appearance.
