Clayton Kershaw is on the cusp of baseball history! With a stellar performance against the Giants, the Dodgers‘ ace is just 12 strikeouts away from achieving 3,000 career strikeouts. This article details Kershaw’s impressive seven scoreless innings and his dominant command at Dodger Stadium, where he’s amassed 413 strikeouts of the Giants throughout his career. After recovering from surgeries, Kershaw is proving his resilience.See what fans are saying about the left-hander’s performance and his anticipation of the coming milestone. News Directory 3 delivers exclusive coverage. Discover what’s next for the Dodgers’ star pitcher.
Kershaw Shines as Dodgers Defeat Giants, Veteran Nears Strikeout Milestone
Updated June 15, 2025
Clayton Kershaw delivered one of his strongest performances of the season Saturday night, pitching seven scoreless innings in the dodgers’ 11-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants. The veteran left-hander’s outing at Dodger Stadium brought him within 12 strikeouts of reaching 3,000 for his career, a meaningful milestone.
The Dodgers are managing Kershaw’s workload carefully this season. After recovering from offseason toe and knee surgeries,the 37-year-old made his season debut on May 17. His starts have been inconsistent,but Saturday’s game offered a promising sign.
This marked Kershaw’s first seven-inning scoreless performance since June 20, 2023, when he faced the Angels. It also tied Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the longest outing by a Dodgers starting pitcher this year. kershaw has a long history facing the Giants; he has struck them out 413 times, far more than any other team.
Of the five strikeouts he recorded against San Francisco, three came from his curveball. While Kershaw acknowledged areas for betterment, he emphasized the importance of the win.
“Maybe it’s my personality, I don’t know,” Kershaw said. “You never feel great about it. I think there’s always things you want to have back. but the results, ultimately ultimately to win the game, that’s the most crucial thing.”
He also noted his good health, adding that he felt no physical restrictions and could focus on his pitching. The Dodger Stadium crowd showed their appreciation for Kershaw as he exited the game after the seventh inning.
“It was special,” Kershaw said. “I honestly didn’t know if I was done or not, so I didn’t want to come out of the moment too much. But I love pitching here. I don’t take it for granted. Who knows how many I’ve got left here? So I’m just going to enjoy it. It’s special any time somebody cheers for you like that.”
What’s next
Kershaw anticipates reaching the 3,000-strikeout milestone potentially by September. He is focused on contributing to the Dodgers’ success while appreciating each opportunity to pitch.
