Clayton Kershaw’s Near Farewell at the World Baseball Classic
Clayton Kershaw, the legendary former Los Angeles Dodger, made an almost-appearance on Tuesday, marking what might be his closest brush with action in the World Baseball Classic (WBC). With Friday’s quarterfinal game against Canada set to be his last on the roster, Kershaw is poised to wrap up his WBC journey, win or lose. Given his recent retirement from Major League Baseball, this could very well be his final game ever.
Kershaw’s Role in the WBC
Kershaw’s role with Team USA was more of a strategic reserve, described by ESPN’s Jesse Rogers as a “break glass in case of emergency” player. Although he was seen warming up during Team USA’s loss to Team Italy, he never took the mound. His expected usage was limited to blowouts, and it seems Team USA manager Mark DeRosa deemed the matchup with Italy too crucial to risk his appearance.
The game held significant importance, particularly concerning run differential, which may explain why Kershaw remained on the sidelines. If he doesn’t pitch on Friday, his only outing for Team USA will have been an exhibition game against the Colorado Rockies, where he surrendered a 414-foot home run but received a standing ovation from the fans.
Joe Ryan Steps In
With Kershaw stepping down, Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins will take his place on the WBC roster. Ryan, who has 114 MLB starts under his belt, boasts a career ERA of 3.79 and a WHIP of 1.063. While these numbers don’t quite match Kershaw’s stellar career ERA of 2.53 and WHIP of 1.018, the age difference is notable, with Kershaw at 37 and Ryan at 29.
Kershaw’s wealth of experience and potential Hall of Fame legacy certainly offer invaluable insights to his teammates, but his age has naturally impacted his ability to perform at his peak. Meanwhile, Ryan brings five years of major league experience and a younger arm, ready to shoulder a larger role for Team USA.