2008–2025 · P

Clayton Kershaw

6' 4", 225 lbs·Lived to 38·Bats L / Throws L

3×Cy Young AwardGold GloveMVPAll-Star

The Almanac's Take

Even at 38, Kershaw's twilight numbers tell the story of baseball's most dominant lefthander of the 2010s. That 2016 season — a 1.69 ERA with a staggering 247 ERA+ — ranks among the greatest pitching campaigns in modern history, 147 percent better than league average.

The three Cy Youngs and MVP award only scratch the surface. Kershaw's career 164 ERA+ means he's been 64 percent better than average across nearly two decades, a mark of sustained excellence that separates legends from very good pitchers. His 2.53 career ERA in the offensive environment of his era puts him in rarified air.

What's remarkable isn't just the peak dominance, but the longevity. At 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts, Kershaw has built a Hall of Fame resume that bridges the gap between the steroids era and today's analytics-driven game.

Career Highs

1.69

Best ERA · 2016

Most W · 2014

301

Most K · 2015

0.725

Best WHIP · 2016

Career Arc · OPS

13 seasons

Career Arc · ERA

18 seasons

Statistical Comps

Tyler Glasnow

98%

2024 season

K/9 11.3 · BB/9 2.4 · HR/9 1.01 · SP · FB 96.3 mph · Whiff% 28

Jack Flaherty

97%

2024 season

K/9 10.8 · BB/9 2.1 · HR/9 1.33 · SP · FB 93.2 mph · Whiff% 28

Gerrit Cole

97%

2023 season

K/9 9.6 · BB/9 2.1 · HR/9 0.86 · SP · FB 96.6 mph · Whiff% 24

Career · Hitting

18 seasons

Year	Team	G	AB	HR	RBI	AVG	OPS	OPS+
2008	LAD	22	29	0	0	.069	.138	18
2009	LAD	31	48	0	2	.104	.261	35
2010	LAD	32	55	0	1	.055	.126	17
2011	LAD	33	71	0	4	.225	.492	68
2012	LAD	34	58	0	2	.207	.454	63
2013	LAD	35	77	1	10	.182	.501	70
2014	LAD	27	63	0	3	.175	.442	63
2015	LAD	34	71	0	2	.127	.317	44
2016	LAD	23	46	0	3	.174	.387	52
2017	LAD	27	49	0	2	.184	.449	60
2018	LAD	27	46	0	7	.239	.622	85
2019	LAD	29	49	0	1	.102	.242	32
2020	LAD	10	0	0	0	—	—	—
2021	LAD	24	36	0	3	.222	.465	64
2022	LAD	22	0	0	0	—	—	—
2023	LAD	24	0	0	0	—	—	—
2024	LAD	7	0	0	0	—	—	—
2025	LAD	23	0	0	0	—	—	—
Career		464	698	1	40	.162	—	—

Career · Pitching

18 seasons

Year	Team	G	IP	W	L	ERA	ERA+	SO	WHIP
2008	LAD	22	107.7	5	5	4.26	101	100	1.495
2009	LAD	31	171.0	8	8	2.79	154	185	1.228
2010	LAD	32	204.3	13	10	2.91	140	212	1.179
2011	LAD	33	233.3	21	5	2.28	173	248	0.977
2012	LAD	33	227.7	14	9	2.53	158	229	1.023
2013	LAD	33	236.0	16	9	1.83	211	232	0.915
2014	LAD	27	198.3	21	3	1.77	211	239	0.857
2015	LAD	33	232.7	16	7	2.13	185	301	0.881
2016	LAD	21	149.0	12	4	1.69	247	172	0.725
2017	LAD	27	175.0	18	4	2.31	188	202	0.949
2018	LAD	26	161.3	9	5	2.73	152	155	1.041
2019	LAD	29	178.3	16	5	3.03	148	189	1.043
2020	LAD	10	58.3	6	2	2.16	206	62	0.840
2021	LAD	22	121.7	10	8	3.55	120	144	1.019
2022	LAD	22	126.3	12	3	2.28	174	137	0.942
2023	LAD	24	131.7	13	5	2.46	176	137	1.063
2024	LAD	7	30.0	2	2	4.50	91	24	1.500
2025	LAD	23	112.7	11	2	3.36	124	84	1.216
Career		455	2855.3	223	96	—	—	3052	—

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