Clayton Kershaw didn’t expect manager Dave Roberts to hand him the microphone during Friday’s World Series celebration at Dodger Stadium. Because, as the 36-year-old left-hander later said, “My role was pretty limited.”
But as the three-time National League Cy Young Award winner and longest-serving Dodger began addressing a cheering crowd of 42,458, he realized his emotions came to the surface too quickly. I was surprised.
“Oh, I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. I’ve wanted to celebrate it for so long,” Kershaw said, vividly describing the screams during the parade. “I can’t imagine being anywhere else right now, and I can’t imagine doing it with a better group of people.
“I’m speechless,” Kershaw continued, fighting back tears. “I had nothing to do with this championship, but this is the best feeling in the world!”
Kershaw was one of several Dodgers players and coaches to win the World Series during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but was unable to celebrate with a parade for fans. .
So Kershaw didn’t throw a pitch in October because of toe and knee injuries, both of which Kershaw said he would have surgically fixed Wednesday, as if he were the World Series’ best. I cherished every moment of Friday’s celebration as if I had been selected as a player.
“It really meant a lot to me that Doc called me and that my teammates wanted me to say something,” Kershaw said. “We knew it was going to be a special day, but it was a little more emotional than we expected. It’s certainly a day we’ll never forget.
“You know, baseball’s just a game. Everybody says that. But I don’t know, if you look around you’ll see how much this means to so many different people. … It may be baseball, but it means a lot to a lot of different people. Me too.”
Kershaw returned from offseason shoulder surgery in July and started seven games, but missed all postseason games.
It was bittersweet to be reduced to a playoff crowd, but it got easier after accepting in early October that Kershaw wouldn’t be able to play.
“During September, it was really tough. I just tried to pitch, I tried to pitch, and it just didn’t get any better,” Kershaw said. “But once I threw in the towel and said, ‘This isn’t going to work,’ I was able to sit back and enjoy it. It’s not that I didn’t want to compete, but I knew I couldn’t do it, so I kind of It’s easier to enjoy.”
In the immediate future of car shows, there will be a lot more sitting time, but not a lot of fun.
Kershaw revealed on Friday that in addition to the toe injury, he suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee, which will be surgically repaired in the toe.
“It’s going to be a two-on-one special,” Kershaw joked. “I’m concerned about my knee, so I thought, ‘Let’s get an MRI to make sure,’ and sure enough, I need to get that fixed, so put it on the list. But it should be pretty quick.” I can’t walk, my legs are stiff, so I’ll be using crutches for a while.”
Kershaw, who announced during the playoffs that he would return to the Dodgers next season, said the injury to his left foot was more extensive than the previously reported bone spurs.
“I think I’ve split my plantar plate. I think I’ve got a bone spur. I think I’ve got arthritis. I’m not sure. I have a few questions to ask you,” Kershaw said. said. “There’s a lot of things we need to fix. … But we’ll come back somehow.”
