Clayton Kershaw's legendary baseball career will feature one final ride on the global stage.
Kershaw, the future Hall of Fame pitcher who in September of 2025 announced his retirement from MLB, will pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, USA Baseball announced on Thursday. It will be the first time Kershaw has ever pitched in the WBC. The longtime Dodgers ace committed to play for Team USA in the 2023 WBC, but backed out due to his reported inability to obtain an insurance policy after consulting with MLB, the MLB Player's Association and the Dodgers.
A disappointed Kershaw, who had never prioritized pitching in the WBC to focus more on preparations for upcoming seasons, acknowledged at the time that it was likely his last opportunity to pitch in the event, which typically takes place every few years in March before the start of the MLB season.
Now, in a picture-perfect scenario, Kershaw will finally get his chance to take the mound for Team USA in an epic curtain call for his Hall of Fame career. Here's who he'll be joining on the roster
Team USA World Baseball Classic Roster
| Position | Player Name |
|---|---|
| SP | Tarik Skubal |
| SP | Paul Skenes |
| SP | Logan Webb |
| SP | Joe Ryan |
| SP | Nolan McLean |
| SP | Clayton Kershaw |
| RP | David Bednar |
| RP | Mason Miller |
| RP | Gabe Speier |
| RP | Griffin Jax |
| RP | Clay Holmes |
| C | Cal Raleigh |
| C | Will Smith |
| 1B | Bryce Harper |
| 2B | Brice Turang |
| SS | Bobby Witt Jr. |
| SS | Gunnar Henderson |
| 3B | Ernie Clement |
| OF | Aaron Judge |
| OF | Pete Crow-Armstrong |
| OF | Byron Buxton |
| OF | Corbin Carroll |
| DH | Kyle Schwarber |
The Americans begin World Baseball Classic pool play against Brazil on March 6 at 8 p.m. ET at Daikin Park in Houston.
Kershaw authors memorable end to MLB career
Kershaw in September announced that the 2025 season would be his last in MLB. And Kershaw, who spent all 18 years with the Dodgers, authored an incredible end to his decorated career, becoming just the 20th pitcher to record 3,000 career strikeouts, pitching for the National League while being mic'd up in the All-Star Game and helping the Dodgers win a second straight World Series.
Kershaw's final appearance on a big-league mound won't soon be forgotten, as he entered a marathon Game 3 in the 12th inning with two outs and the bases loaded, looking to keep the game tied. The southpaw went toe-to-toe with the Blue Jays' Nathan Lukes, dramatically inducing an inning-ending groundout as the Dodger Stadium crowd roared.
In 18 seasons in the big leagues, Kershaw has been named to 11 All-Star teams, has won three Cy Young Awards, two World Series titles, an MVP Award and a Gold Glove. He is widely regarded as one of the best pitchers of his generation—and all-time.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Clayton Kershaw to Pitch for One More Team After MLB Retirement.
