Advertisement<\/p>\n
And in an impromptu pregame speech as the team\u2019s elder statesman, Kershaw imparted the most important lesson he\u2019s learned from his 11 All-Star Games.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe All-Star Game, it can be hard at times for the players,\u201d Kershaw recounted when asked about his message to the team. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot of travel, it\u2019s a lot of stress, chaos, family, all this stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut,\u201d the 37-year-old future Hall of Famer added, \u201cit\u2019s meaningful, it\u2019s impactful for the game, it\u2019s important for the game. We have the best All-Star Game of any sport. We do have the best product. So to be here, to realize your responsibility to the sport is important \u2026 And I just said I was super honored to be part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kershaw, admittedly, was picked for this year\u2019s game for more sentimental reasons than anything.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
After making only 10 starts in the first half of the year following offseason foot and knee surgeries, the future Hall of Famer was shoehorned in as a \u201cLegend Pick\u201d by commissioner Rob Manfred, getting the nod a week after becoming the 20th pitcher in MLB with 3,000 strikeouts.<\/p>\n
Read more:<\/b> Shaikin: Live from Atlanta: The next front in the war between MLB owners and players<\/a><\/p>\n The honor made Kershaw feel awkward, with the three-time Cy Young Award winner repeatedly joking that he hadn\u2019t really deserved to return to the All-Star Game for the first time since 2023, despite his 4-1 record and 3.38 ERA so far this season.<\/p>\n At first, he acknowledged, he even had a little hesitancy about participating in this week\u2019s festivities in Atlanta.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cMy initial response was just, you don\u2019t ever want to take somebody\u2019s spot,\u201d he said. \u201cYou don\u2019t ever want to be a side show.\u201d<\/p>\n A side show, however, Kershaw was not.<\/p>\n Instead, as the man with the most All-Star selections of anyone in this year\u2019s game (and the fourth-most by a pitcher), Kershaw was at the center of one of the most memorable moments from the National League\u2019s win on a tiebreaking home run derby after a 6-6 tie<\/a>.<\/p>\n Upon entering the game at the start of the second inning, he retired the first two batters he faced; the latter, a strikeout looking of Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He then turned to the dugout to see Roberts coming to get him, ending what could very well be his final appearance in the Midsummer Classic (even though, he has made a point of noting, he has not made any decision on retirement after the season).<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n And as he exited the mound, he was serenaded with one of the night\u2019s loudest ovations, waving a hand in appreciation before blowing a kiss to his family in the stands.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t anticipate to be here. I definitely didn\u2019t anticipate to pitch,\u201d Kershaw said. \u201cSo it was awesome. So thankful for it now.\u201d<\/p>\n Many others in Atlanta felt the same way about sharing the week with Kershaw.<\/p>\n Shohei Ohtani watches his base hit during the first inning. (Brynn Anderson \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n NL starter Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates had the locker next to Kershaw in the Truist Park clubhouse, and joked his only hope was that veteran left-hander wouldn\u2019t get sick of him by the end of the event.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s such a class act, it\u2019s just so impressive,\u201d Skenes said. \u201cWe were in the waiting room before the red carpet today, and he had all his kids, and watching him as dad too, it was a cool experience.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb recalled his memories of watching Kershaw while growing up in Northern California.<\/p>\n \u201cI just respect him so much, watching him pitch,\u201d Webb said. \u201cYou could\u2019ve asked me five years ago, and you could\u2019ve said Clayton Kershaw was a legend already. He is a legend. I\u2019m just happy I\u2019m able to share a clubhouse with him.\u201d<\/p>\n Kershaw\u2019s lighter side was on display Tuesday, as well, with the pitcher mic\u2019d up with the Fox broadcast team for his brief outing.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m gonna try to throw some cheese real quick, hold on,\u201d he joked while unleashing an 89-mph fastball to Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, which turned into a lineout in left thanks to a diving effort from Kyle Tucker of the Chicago Cubs.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cHey!\u201d Kershaw exclaimed. \u201cThat was sick.\u201d<\/p>\n On his first pitch to Guerrero, Kershaw threw another fastball that the Blue Jays’ star took for a strike.<\/p>\n \u201cRight down the middle,\u201d Kershaw said. \u201cI\u2019m so glad he didn\u2019t swing.\u201d<\/p>\n When Guerrero got to a 1-and-1 count after a curveball in the dirt, Kershaw contemplated his next pitch.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I probably gotta go slider,\u201d he said. \u201cLet\u2019s see what Will thinks.\u201d<\/p>\n Behind the plate, teammate Will Smith instead called for a curveball.<\/p>\n \u201cNope, he wants curveball again,\u201d Kershaw laughed. \u201cAll right, fine.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:<\/b> Rob Manfred: MLB won’t cancel the 2028 All-Star Game for the Olympics<\/a><\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Guerrero swung through it \u2014 \u201cOh, got him,\u201d he said \u2014 before freezing on a slider two pitches later for a called third strike.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m getting blown up by former teammates saying, \u2018Wow, you\u2019ve changed so much,\u2019 and they\u2019re right,\u201d Kershaw joked afterward, acknowledging his once-fiery demeanor never would have allowed him to embrace an in-game interview like that. \u201cI don\u2019t think I would\u2019ve ever done that [in the past]. But it was actually kind of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n Really, that was the theme of Kershaw\u2019s whole week.<\/p>\n Reluctantly accepting his stature as one of the game\u2019s most decorated players. Accepting an invitation designed to honor his career accomplishments. And providing a reminder of the All-Star Game\u2019s meaning, in what will perhaps be his last time on such a stage.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a very awesome, special thing to get to come to All-Star Games,\u201d he said. \u201cI remember the first one, how special that was. And I don\u2019t think a lot has changed for me over the years to get to come to these things. So I don\u2019t take that for granted. I think it\u2019s really awesome. I mean, I shouldn\u2019t be here anyway, so it\u2019s very possible this could be my last one. So it was just a very awesome night, special.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Shohei](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/eff6772f801049e82cf6e35854233e6f.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n