WATCH: Clayton Kershaw walks off Dodger Stadium mound for what may be last time as Dodgers clinch playoff spot

Los Angeles Dodgers lefty legend and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw on Friday made what might be his final appearance before the Dodger Stadium crowd, carrying his team to a win and its 13th straight playoff berth.

Earlier in the week, the 37-year-old Kershaw announced his intention to retire following the 2025 season – his 18th big-league campaign, all of which have come with the Dodgers. While Kershaw figures to be a part of the Dodgers’ postseason pitching plans, his exact role is uncertain right now.

Even if that role is as a member of the playoff rotation, there’s no guarantee he’ll take the mound in Dodger Stadium during October. That’s why his start against the rival San Francisco Giants on Friday served as a farewell opportunity for the Dodger faithful at Chavez Ravine. 

Here’s the grand entrance: 

Kershaw in the eventual 6-3 Dodgers win produced the following line: 

Of his 91 pitches, 56 went for strikes. He earned a no decision. Kershaw’s ERA for the season now stands at 3.55. For his career, Kershaw has now made 63 appearances and 61 starts versus the Giants, easily his most against any team. Over those many confrontations, he’s gone 27-16 against the Giants and pitched to a 2.10 ERA. Of his 3,045 career strikeouts, 421 have come against the Giants. The last of those was a called strike three against Rafael Devers that ended Kershaw’s night: 

And now here’s Kershaw walking off the the Dodger Stadium mound for perhaps the final time after the 450th start of his career: 

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At the time of Kershaw’s exit, the Dodgers trailed 2-1. In the home half of the fifth, though, the hosts took charge. The big blow came on a three-run, opposite-field home run by Shohei Ohtani — his 52nd home run of the season — and Mookie Betts went deep soon thereafter to give the Dodgers a 5-2 lead.

That win makes the Dodgers became the fourth MLB team to clinch a postseason berth; the Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs had already each punched their tickets to October. As a result, more than half of the National League’s playoff bracket is already in place.

As noted, though, the fond farewells don’t mean the season is over for the Dodgers or for Kershaw. The defending World Series champs are still trying to wrap up yet another National League West title. Friday’s outcome pushes them to 87-67 on the season, and they lead the Padres by four games in the division.

Should the Dodgers prevail in holding off the Padres, it will represent their 12th division title in the last 13 years. The lone exception came back in 2021, when they won 106 games but finished second to the San Francisco Giants.

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The Dodgers have weathered a slew of injuries, particularly to their pitching staff. Only two of Los Angeles’ arms have made even 20 starts this season, and 17 total pitchers have received at least one starting assignment. Overall, the Dodgers have turned to 39 pitchers this year, putting them one away from matching last year’s mark and the franchise’s single-season record.

Nevertheless, the Dodgers persisted thanks in large part to another MVP-caliber season from two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. Three other Dodgers players cleared the four-win mark, according to Baseball Reference’s estimates: shortstop Mookie Betts, who recovered after an early season slump caused by an illness; catcher Will Smith; and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

As for the Giants, they still harbor slim hopes of catching the Mets for the third and final wild card spot in the NL. Friday’s loss drops them to 76-78. They’re four games out of playoff position and behind the Mets, Reds, and Diamondbacks in that queue. The Dodgers and Giants will play the second game of the three-game weekend series on Saturday.