Clayton Kershaw claimed he was a “Dodger for life,” and why wouldn’t he? He has spent 18 seasons with the Dodgers, and now he has finally decided to bid goodbye. The Dodgers’ history books are stacked with some of the great players, and one of them is Kershaw—the future Hall of Famer who has amazed Dodgerland every time he steps on the mound.

The Claw reached 3,000 strikeouts in the 2025 season, a feat only 19 pitchers had achieved before him. His dominance goes beyond numbers, and when he is on the mound, even the two-way star Shohei Ohtani looks ordinary. Let’s dive into five incredible facts about the ace’s career.

Fact 1: Four straight ERA titles (2011–2014)

For four years in a row, from 2011 to 2014, Clayton Kershaw had the lowest ERA in all of baseball. This has never happened before in MLB history. During that time, they had a 2.28 ERA in 2011, a 2.53 ERA in 2012, a 1.83 ERA in 2013, and a 1.77 ERA in 2014.

Along with the stats, the praise kept coming. He won the Cy Young Award in 2011, 2013, and 2014. In 2014, he also earned the National League MVP award. He was in a class by himself because of his control, consistency, and ability to shut down lineups. No pitcher—past or present—has ever matched that streak. The dominance didn’t stop there…

Fact 2: May 2016—walks were rarer than shutouts

Clayton Kershaw had one of the best runs of his career in May 2016. That month, he pitched three complete-game shutouts. At the same time, he only gave up two walks in all of May. For background, pitchers are frequently judged by how effectively they avoid walks. Kershaw, on the other hand, was giving up fewer walks than he was finishing games.

That mix of speed and stamina made him the worst nightmare for hitters on the other team. By the end of the 2016 season, he had a 1.69 ERA and 172 strikeouts. He was already on his way to another All-Star nod.

Fact 3: Ohtani never got him—Except once

Ever see Shohei Ohtani go hitless against any pitcher? Nope, right? But against Clayton Kershaw, when Ohtani was with the Angels, he didn’t get a single hit in their regular-season games. The only time this happened was in the 2022 All-Star Game, when Ohtani hit a single off him in the opening at-bat of the night.

Just a few seconds later, Kershaw pulled Ohtani off first base. Even more amazing, these two stars are now on the same team in the Los Angeles Dodgers, making what used to be a mini-duel part of the same locker room story.

Individual brilliance deserves individual recognition, which brings us to 2014’s historic season.

Fact 4: A higher OBP than his opponents (2014)

Kershaw did something almost unthinkable during the 2014 season. Kershaw’s own hitting average was .175, and hitters who faced him only managed to hit .196 against his deadly arsenal. Hold on, here’s the real magic: his WHIP of 0.86 meant that runners on base were less often than his own offensive contributions. The lefty only let opponents hit .196 in 198.1 innings pitched, striking out 239 batters and walking only 31. His 1.77 ERA showed that he was so dominant that there were almost no hitters.

That season, he won the MVP. That MVP trophy was the first for a pitcher since Dennis Eckersley in 1992.

Clayton Kershaw’s 21-3 record and extraordinary control made him more valuable than any position player that season. The 0.86 WHIP says it all: fewer than one baserunner per inning against a pitcher who sometimes helped himself at the plate.

Team-specific dominance illustrates a narrative of continued excellence.

Fact 5: Perfection against the Mets

Kershaw played against the New York Mets 19 times in his career and never lost. He won 11 games against them, lost none, and had a 2.17 ERA. In those games, he struck out 157 Mets batters and walked only 36.

That supremacy lasted for more than ten years, from his first season to his last. Kershaw was always better than the Mets, no matter what their lineup looked like. He was one of the most reliable pitchers against the NYM during his time there.

The future HOF has numerous moments that have made headlines, but these facts show how unusual his excellence has been. He once stated, “As a competitor, winning is what drives you,” an attitude that defined his time on the mound.

So, did you already know all of these facts, or is there something we missed that you know?