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Since making his big league debut in May 2008, starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw has established himself as one of the best in the business. With eleven All-Star selections, two World Series titles, three Cy Young awards, and numerous other notable honors to his name, Kershaw's induction into the prestigious National Baseball Hall of Fame is widely considered to be a certainty at this point.
On Thursday, the southpaw, now 37, announced that he will be hanging up his cleats at the end of the season, cuing tributes from fans and teammates alike.
Such is Kershaw's class on and off the field, that several rival players also acknowledged his greatness. On Saturday, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor took to Instagram to share a snap of Kershaw via his story, summing up his opinion of the ace with a single word.
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"Legend" Francisco Lindor captioned his Instagram story
Though Clayton Kershaw has spent the entirety of his career with the Dodgers, Francisco Lindor did get a chance to play alongside the lefty, albeit briefly, during the 2025 All-Star game, as both stars suited up for the NL.
Both Francisco Lindor and Clayton Kershaw are looking to lead their team to the World Series
With nine days of the regular season to go, both Francisco Lindor and the New York Mets, and Clayton Kershaw and the LA Dodgers, will be looking forward to October.
As it stands, Lindor and the Mets must still stay focused to ensure they make it to postseason in the first place. With rivals the Philadelphia Phillies having already clinched the NL East, the Mets can only progress via the wildcard route.
On that front, things are far from comfortable. As they continue struggling for consistency, the Mets now cling on to their third-place spot in the NL wildcard by the barest of margins, leading the Cincinnati Reds by only one game. Further mistakes could lead to Francisco Lindor and company missing out on the playoffs altogether.
For Kershaw and the Dodgers, the equation is much more favorable. Having already clinched a playoff spot, the Dodgers are also in pole position to retain the NL West title.
Heading into October, LA are the bookies' favorites to win it all, and Clayton Kershaw will be looking to finish off his career with another World Series title under his belt.
