ATLANTA — It was only two batters. It lasted just a couple of minutes. But for fans of Clayton Kershaw—and let’s face it, that’s just about everyone—it was a moment to savor. As Dodgers fans know by now, Kersh is notoriously “locked in” on game day. He’s not the most pleasant guy to be around when he’s taking the mound. That’s what’s gotten him into Cooperstown (eventually anyway). But on Tuesday, he did something we’d NEVER thought we’d see–an in-game interview WHILE he was on the mound!
During the second inning of the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta, the future Hall of Famer was mic’d up and chatting live with Joe Davis and John Smoltz as he faced two of the most dangerous hitters in the American League. What followed was a delightfully weird, funny, and surprisingly insightful conversation that reminded fans why Kershaw isn’t just a generational pitcher—he’s one of the most beloved personalities in the game.
“I can’t believe you’re doing this, Clayton,” Joe Davis said as the broadcast cut to the mic’d-up mound.
“I can’t either,” Kershaw responded with a grin. “I’m gonna try to throw some cheese real quick. Hold on.”
The first batter, Mariners slugging catcher Cal Raleigh, got under a pitch and ripped it to left. Kyle Tucker, now with the Cubs, slid toward the line to make a highlight-reel catch.
“That was sick,” Kershaw said mid-mound. “Easy. That was sick.”
One pitch, one out. Vintage Kershaw. Laughing, he added, “This might be my last batter, guys.”
It wasn’t. Then came Vladimir Guerrero Jr.—a much taller order, but also a perfect setup for Kershaw to show off his brain and his bag of tricks.
“How hard was that one?” Smoltz asked as Guerrero dug in.
“91,” Kershaw replied, before adding the most important point. “It was an out.”
As he got ready to face Guerrero Jr., Kershaw narrated his every move like a quarterback calling plays.
“All right. Going cheese again.” The pitch missed.
“Let’s go. I mean, you and Paul Skenes are pretty much the same guy,” Davis joked, comparing Kershaw’s fastball to the triple-digit stuff of the pitcher who’d started the game for the NL.
“Right down the middle,” Kershaw replied. “I’m so glad he didn’t swing.”
Then came the fun: pitch selection by committee. “Okay, I’m going curveball here,” Kershaw announced. The pitch bounced short.
“Double up,” he mused, then second-guessed himself. “Now, I think I probably got to go slider. Let’s think what Will [Smith] thinks, but I think I gotta go slider here.”
“No, no, he wants curveball again,” Kershaw said, accepting his catcher’s call. “All right, fine,” he said and proceeded to the throw a perfect curve for strike two.
Smoltz jumped in with his own suggestion: “What do you want, Smoltzy?”
“Cutter in. Slider in.”
“I don’t throw a cutter!” Kershaw shot back, slightly annoyed that Smoltz would misrepresent his pitch arsenal. That drew laughs all around, including from the broadcast booth. Davis joked about breaking out a “splitty”–a pitch Kersh has toyed with, but never mastered, his entire career–as he reset for the next pitch.
“This is so weird talking to you guys,” he admitted. “It’s kind of still…”
Guerrero finally watched a nasty Kershaw slider land perfectly for strike three. Game over—for Kershaw, at least.
“I think that might be it,” he said. “I think that’s it.”
Indeed, Dave Roberts walked to the mound to collect his All-Star. As Kershaw walked off the mound, cheers rang out across Truist Park and Kershaw blew kisses to his wife and kids in the stands. Davis and Smoltz wrapped up the segment with admiration.
“What a year, buddy. What a career. And what a moment. Soak it in.”
“Thanks, brother,” Kershaw replied. “That was fun, guys. Thanks for talking.”
If this truly is Kershaw’s final All-Star Game appearance, it couldn’t have been more fitting. A quick, efficient outing—just 6 pitches (four for strikes)—an entertaining masterclass in pitch sequencing, and a reminder that even in a relaxed exhibition, Kershaw brings the same blend of competitiveness and class that’s defined his entire career.
“You’re the best. 22,” the booth signed off.
We already knew that. But it’s nice to see it confirmed, live, from the man himself—still dealing, still smiling, still the heart of the Dodgers.
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