Dodgers News: Clayton Kershaw to Pitch for Team USA in 2026 WBC
Kershaw will take the mound one final time for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
LOS ANGELES — Turns out, that nail-biting extra-innings at-bat in Game 3 of the World Series was NOT the end of Clayton Kershaw. At least not totally. On Thursday, Team USA announced that Kershaw, the sure-fire Cooperstown resident will have one more chance to show fans that wicked slider and thing-of-beauty curve ball. Yep, he’s joining the American squad representing the country in this year’s WBC.
We had thought until this announcement that Kershaw had hung up his spikes for good and had retreated to domestic life in North Texas with his ever expanding family. But Team USA manager Mark DeRosa must have convinced Clayton that one final hurrah would be doable.
In a way it’s perfect for Kershaw. If you recall, he had committed to the WBC three years ago before he decided to scrap the idea because of problems getting him insured for the event. This year, however, he’ll have no nervous GM hovering over him worried that the Dodgers’ prized lefty would get injured from his participation. In other words, Kersh can just let it rip. One last time.
In many ways, all of 2025 was a bit of a redemption for Kershaw after an injury plagued 2024. This wasn’t quite vintage Kershaw, but it was pretty close. After starting the season on the IL, Kershaw was activated in May and never looked back: 11-2 over 23 starts, posting a 3.36 ERA. That included a dominant stretch late in the year when the Dodgers finally started to pull away from the NL West. In August, Kershaw was 5-0 with a 1.88 ERA. And, while his efforts were limited in the postseason, the big bases-loaded escape in the top of the eleventh gave Dodgers fans one last thrill from their legend (and nearly gave wife Ellen a heart attack).
Kershaw joins a roster that is already stacked. He’ll be pitching alongside current Cy Young winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal. So, no, he won’t be getting the ball against Samurai Japan in the finals. But, what the heck, it will be fun to see him back on the mound. Let the boys from Team Italy get a taste of greatness in pool play. Then he can sit back and relax for the rest of the tournament.
Though, there is one key element that is interesting. Shohei Ohtani versus Kershaw? He’s 0-for-11 with 4 strikeouts. Would THAT be high drama?
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