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On Wednesday, LA Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw reached a personal milestone, becoming the 20th player in MLB history to record 3,000 career strikeouts. The crowd roared in the sixth inning when they witnessed his signature slider strike out Chicago’s Vinny Capra, and the standing ovation lasted nearly six minutes.
Speaking to reporters after the 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox, Kershaw reflected on the milestone:
“I made it interesting. Made it too long."
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The Dodgers icon further reflected on his performance:
“Honestly, I didn’t pitch that great tonight. The slider was so bad. I was trying to force it.”
It was a huge night for Kershaw's family, and the Dodgers pitcher gave his wife, Ellen, a shout-out:
“I feel bad for Ellen. I made her sit through six innings out there, just stressed out.”
The 37-year-old ace became the fourth left-handed pitcher to reach 3,000 Ks, joining baseball legends Randy Johnson (4,875), Steve Carlton (4,136), and CC Sabathia (3,093).
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts reflects on Clayton Kershaw's 3,000 Ks milestone
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was among the many delighted as Clayton Kershaw recorded his 3,000th strikeout. He spoke to reporters after the game:
“I was going to give him every opportunity to do it at home. You go through five innings and he has two strikeouts, pitch count’s climbing... but I just felt he had earned that chance.”
Roberts then addressed the big moment, as Kershaw recorded the milestone K against Vinny Capra:
“It wasn’t the slider, but it was a strikeout. You could see the emotion that he had today.” He highlighted crowd energy: "When he got two strikes, it was like everyone in the ballpark was trying to will it to happen."
Roberts appreciated Kershaw's performance, calling it "gutty" and "gritty," before noting:
“I was a fan tonight too."
While Clayton Kershaw etched his name in MLB history, the Dodgers recorded an important 5-4 win over the White Sox. A three-run ninth inning got them over the line, turning what looked like defeat into a third-straight victory. LA tops the NL West by 8.5 games at 55-32, and will look to sweep Chicago on Thursday before hosting the Houston Astros for a three-game series that starts on Saturday.
