LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers were still hours away from first pitch Thursday against the Giants when manager Dave Roberts sat down and spoke from the heart about Clayton Kershaw’s announcement. The left-hander’s decision to retire at the end of the season had become official, but Roberts revealed that he had known for weeks.
“He told me a couple weeks ago,” Roberts told us. “Yesterday before the game he said that it’s final. He’s going to hold a press conference today. And he was emotional, understandably so.”
A Decade of Trust and Growth
Roberts and Kershaw’s bond stretches back ten years, covering a decade of postseason highs, October heartbreaks, and a World Series championship in 2020. Asked how he would describe Kershaw’s career, Roberts didn’t hesitate: “I think he’s the greatest pitcher in this generation. I’ve just never been around a greater competitor. Very accountable, very consistent. He’s made me better, and I think that we’ve both grown together.”
That mutual growth, Roberts explained, was built on trust. “Clayton doesn’t trust a whole lot of people. That’s just how he’s wired. But I think we have a very good relationship, built on trust, certainly going through all that we’ve been through together. I think we have a friendship outside of just a player-coach relationship too.”
Handling Triumph and Failure
Kershaw’s career has been defined as much by resilience as dominance. Roberts pointed out that the way his ace handled October disappointments revealed just as much about his greatness as his three Cy Young Awards and MVP season. “He’s handled everything—success, the failures—with grace, with professionalism. That’s always been consistent,” Roberts said.
Roberts also recalled the moment that meant the most to him: seeing Kershaw celebrate the Dodgers’ long-awaited title in 2020. “Running onto the field with his hands raised up—that’s probably it. I wanted it so bad for him, given everything that he went through in years prior. For him to finally be a champion, that was the last box he needed to check. That visual is something I’ll always remember.”
Family, Legacy, and Timing
The decision to retire wasn’t easy, Roberts admitted, because Kershaw is still performing at a high level. “It’s hard in the sense that the performance is still worthy of continuing to go on,” he said. “But I think obviously a lot of conversations with Ellen, and the kids are getting older. He wants to be around.”
Kershaw’s competitiveness, Roberts told us, made the decision even more difficult. “He doesn’t like to just hang on. He’s only known being the best, and as father time gets everyone, I think it’s something he doesn’t want to sign up for.”
For Roberts, Kershaw’s choice to make the announcement before his next start was the right one. “I did commend him on doing it prior to this start, giving the fans and media the opportunity to ask him questions, to appreciate him. That’s better than just riding off into the sunset. It’s an 18-year journey that everyone’s been on with him. To have closure before the season’s over is healthy.”
The Final Push
Even with retirement looming, Roberts stressed how much Kershaw still means to this year’s team. “You can never count him out. Looking at where we were at as a starting staff earlier this year, he stepped up. On days he didn’t have his best stuff, he still found ways to give us innings—on guile, on heart. He makes everybody better. We wouldn’t be in this position without him.”
Roberts also made it clear that Kershaw has a spot on the postseason roster if he wants it. “The person, the experience, whatever role he’s willing to take on—it’s a positive. I still feel there’s a role for him.”
One Team, One Legacy
In an era when players often change uniforms late in their careers, Roberts reflected on how rare Kershaw’s loyalty is. “I do think this is the end of his kind. On the pitching side, I just don’t see that happening going forward. His heart has always been here with this city and this organization. To be a mainstay, to play for one team, to do stuff in the community and beyond with Kershaw’s Challenge—it’s 12 months a year that he’s dedicated to building a legacy, on the field and off.”
As Roberts put it at the end of our time together, Kershaw’s career has unfolded the way it was supposed to: entirely in Dodger Blue, leaving behind not just records and awards, but a model of accountability, grace, and fierce competitiveness. “He’s earned the right to walk away at his choosing,” Roberts said. “And nothing would mean more than to send him off with another championship in 2025.”
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