Clayton Kershaw lingered on the field at Dodger Stadium, taking in the sights for the last time at the ballpark he’s called home for his entire 18-year career.
His four children scampered about, catching balls he tossed. He shared an embrace with his wife, Ellen, who wore his No. 22 jersey and is expecting their fifth child. He kissed her forehead.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ 6-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night marked Kershaw’s final home game. The 37-year-old left-hander announced last month he will retire after this season.
Working out of the bullpen in the postseason, Kershaw didn’t get in the game. The defending champion Dodgers head to Toronto for Game 6 on Friday facing elimination.
Kershaw wasn’t on the Dodgers’ roster for their NL Wild Card Series. He was added for the Division Series and kept on through the World Series.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner made a clutch appearance out of the bullpen in the 12th inning of Game 3, a 6-5 victory that stretched 18 tense innings.
With the score tied, the Blue Jays loaded the bases against Emmet Sheehan, who got the first two outs of the inning before Kershaw trotted to the mound to thunderous applause.
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Ellen was a nervous wreck in the stands, covering her face with her hands.
Kershaw and Nathan Lukes battled each other to a full count. Lukes hit a slow roller to second base and raced to first. Tommy Edman fielded the ball and flipped it to Freddie Freeman to end the inning.
Kershaw was removed after getting that critical out. It might have been his final time on a major league mound.
In his prime from 2010-15, Kershaw led the NL in ERA five times, in strikeouts three times and wins twice.
He had one of the best seasons ever in 2014, when he finished 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA and 233 strikeouts to win both the Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards in the NL.
The Dodgers re-played a video of Kershaw’s career highlights, including his 3,000th strikeout in July, on the videoboards before Game 5. FOX Sports aired a tribute during its Game 4 telecast on Tuesday with rapper-actor Ice Cube doing the narration.
In one of his last gestures, Kershaw turned toward the stands and waved, with fans capturing the moment on their phones.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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