Dodgers legend left-hander Kershaw becomes the 20th member of the 3000 strikeout club

Every time Clayton Kershaw reached two strikes, Dodger Stadium collectively sighed with every hit sound.

Before today's game against the White Sox, Kershaw required just three strikeouts to achieve 3000 in his career. During his first inning on the mound, the audience was silent and focused; despite having two strikes on 8 of the first 11 hitters, he did not complete a strikeout.

The turning point came in the third inning: Miguel Vargas struck out swinging at a curveball. At the end of the fifth inning, Lenyn Sosa was also struck out the same way (at this point, Kershaw had thrown 92 pitches). Given the situation, manager Dave Roberts tended to let the veteran lefty pitch the sixth inning, though it was not guaranteed.

As Kershaw entered the sixth inning with 2999 strikeouts, the crowd erupted. At the end of the sixth, he froze White Sox third baseman Vinny Capra with a precise outside slider to record the 3000th strikeout of his career.

The 3000 strikeout club now includes 20 members, with Kershaw being the fourth left-hander to reach this milestone (following CC Sabathia, Randy Johnson, and Steve Carlton). After the milestone strikeout, which came on his 100th pitch of the game, Kershaw slowly walked to the dugout, receiving applause from the few familiar home fans. He tipped his cap and exchanged handshakes and hugs with teammates and coaches.

"This is the last major achievement left in Kershaw’s illustrious career," Roberts said before the game, "and we’ve all been looking forward to seeing it happen in front of the home crowd."

Kershaw became the third pitcher in history to reach 3000 strikeouts with a single team (after Walter Johnson with the Senators and Bob Gibson with the Cardinals). The Dodgers have witnessed this rare journey from start to finish.

On May 25, 2008, 20-year-old Kershaw made his debut, striking out Skip Schumacher of the Cardinals with just seven pitches for his first career K.

Seventeen years later, Kershaw has established himself as the top pitcher of his era and is currently among the active 3000 strikeout club members along with Justin Verlander of the Giants and Max Scherzer of the Blue Jays (who reached the milestone while with the Dodgers in 2021).

As Kershaw neared this milestone, many speculated he might be the last to do so. The closest active pitchers behind him are Chris Sale of the Braves (36 years old with 2528 Ks) and Gerrit Cole of the Yankees (34 years old with 2251 Ks, currently sidelined due to Tommy John surgery).

Achieving this feat requires both the ability to generate swings and misses and long-lasting durability. Over his 18-year MLB career (three-time Cy Young winner, 2014 NL MVP, two-time World Series champion), Kershaw has little left to prove. The 3000 strikeouts may stand as the pinnacle achievement before his eventual Hall of Fame induction.

Kershaw has secured his Hall of Fame eligibility, but this milestone sparks a new debate: is he the greatest pitcher in Dodgers history?

"I can’t definitively say," Roberts stated, "obviously Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale hold their places. But considering an 18-year career, Kershaw is arguably the greatest player in the team’s history."