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On a warm July evening at Dodger Stadium, under the glow of bright light and the weight of baseball history, Clayton Carshaw did what he did almost better than anyone for most of the 20 years.
Kershaw saw Vinny Capra, the third baseman for the Chicago White Sox, on an 85-mph slider, and engraved his name on his record book.
Strikeout number 3,000.
Cues roaring. Play a celebratory montage.
Dodger Stadium shook. It’s not a surprise, it’s a respect.
18 seasons. 439 begins. One team. One city. One legend.
Currently the 20th pitcher in major league baseball history, Kershaw has reached 3,000 strikeouts and joins the exclusive Pantheon of Greatness. The Big League features over 23,000 players. Only 19 people before he reached that sacred milestone. Only three left-handers, Randy Johnson, CC Sabathia and Steve Carlton, have done it. And only two other pitchers, Bob Gibson and Walter Johnson, were handing out it while wearing one uniform.
Now, let’s create space number 22.
“I think I can talk for everyone. We’ve witnessed history,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the Carshaw milestone. “It’s the last box that Clayton checks in on his incredible career. It’s something we all looked forward to being able to do it at home in front of the fans. We can’t wait to celebrate him.”
Baseball has always admired the kind of longevity, domination, and durability that can turn into “the greatest ever.” On Wednesday night, Clayton Carshaw didn’t just score another strikeout. He carved his name along with legends and is known forever as the king of the Dodgers.
What made it sweet? He did it in front of a sold-out crowd of homes. At Dodger Stadium. The baseball cathedral where Max Scherzer, dressed in Dodger Blue, notched his own 3,000th strikeout in 2021.
However, I felt that this was different.
This was the Cathedral of Carshaw. His clay. His mound. His legacy.
From his 20-year-old debut until his 36-year-old, Kershaw did more than ignore his father’s time.
“He’s been playing in the big leagues since I was nine,” said rookie teammate Jack Dreyer. “The way he adapts through all versions of himself… that’s what makes him special. That’s what makes him forever.”
For nearly 20 years, the Car Show has been the heartbeat of the franchise and the face of the game’s consistent daily game. He dominated at a young age with burning fastballs and cartoonish curveballs. As speed immersed, the command shrunk. When my arms needed to rest, my heart took over.
“I think he encapsulates the idea of adapting or dying,” continued Drayer. “Most people fall. He has evolved.”
That’s true. Baseball is currently backing the radar guns warning the third batter through the lineup and the bullpen arm that illuminates the analytics division. But somehow, Kershaw endured.
Manager Dave Roberts said, “Men don’t punch 13 or 13 guys in the game. They won’t get a 33 start. This isn’t supposed to happen.”
Still, it did.
Think about this. Only two active pitchers, Max Scherzer (3,419) and Justin Verlander (3,471), have surpassed 3,000 strikeouts. Gerrit Cole (2,251) and Chris Sale (2,528) are the closest ones. Nor is it guaranteed to get there thanks to injuries, inning limits and games that can’t deepen the starter.
326 no hitters were recorded, with 24 perfect games, with 33 players having 3,000 hits. So, 3,000 strikeouts are a category with even more rare air.
To flirt with 3,000 strikeouts, a pitcher needs more than anything. He needs time. He needs health. He needs sparkle. And he needs the opportunity.
“This is just a product of gaming changes,” Kershaw said earlier this week. “There are a lot of people who can do that. They don’t get a chance. At the end of the day there are a lot of people who can hit 3,000 people. They just need the opportunity.”
This is why this moment is important.
In a sport that is increasingly allergic to longevity, Clayton Kershaw was tall, stubborn, standing on a slider that still spinning untouched.
Kershaw’s resume was already ticketed for Cooperstown. 3 Cy Young Awards. MVP. World Series Ring. 10 All-Star selections. No hit. His career period was about 2.50. And now, a new badge: 3,000 strikeouts.
However, the numbers tell only half of the story.
Kershaw gave the Dodgers everything. It’s the fifth day every year. All postseason. Bullpen sessions at the spring training camelback lunch. He’s like a pitcher who’s never put one foot out of the door. Regardless of the contract, whether it’s an injury or the suitor.
“The best left-handed pitcher I’ve ever seen,” said rookie Southpaw Justin Willobleski. “It’s crazy. I might never see this again.”
As Kershaw left the mound, a sold-out crowd of nearly 53,536 fans rose to his feet. Kershaw stood in front of the Dodgers’ dugout, bent over his hat and waved to the crowd, beating his emotions.
Mr. 3000
Clayton Carshow will become the 20th member of 3,000 strikeout clubs and do it at home with the Dodgers pic.twitter.com/odxltofyfa
– Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) July 3, 2025
He wore a hat on the crowd who had worshiped him since 2008. The scoreboard was brightened with bold white lettering.
3,000 Strikeouts – Clayton Car Show
The oval lasted for several minutes. The fans were standing there. My teammates hugged me. The camera flashed.
His wife, Eren, wiped tears from her seat in the stand. By her side his children were shining with pride. His teammates stood and applauded whether they were dugouts or on the field.
And the entire baseball world has paused. For a man who never craves the spotlight but never sinks from that moment on.
A few years later, the children ask their parents, “Have you ever seen the Clayton Carshaw Pitch?”
If they are lucky, the answer will be yes.
This was not just another statistic. This was an instant. heritage. A symbol of what baseball was once, and what it is still when greatness refuses to decline.
And on July 2, 2025, inside the iconic ballpark under a sky of palm trees and cotton candy, Clayton Kershaw carved baseball forever.
One pitch. One strikeout. One milestone.
Dodger forever.
Legend forever.
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