- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Kershaw's WBC Stint With Team USA Ends Without Appearance
The retired Dodgers star did not get to pitch in the World Baseball Classic before being replaced on the roster.
Mar. 14, 2026 at 5:35am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Clayton Kershaw's stint with Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic came to an end without the retired 11-time MLB All-Star making a single appearance on the mound. Despite joining the U.S. roster just months after announcing his retirement, Kershaw did not get the chance to take the field one last time in a U.S. uniform due to the team's lopsided victories and close games that did not provide opportunities for him to pitch.
Why it matters
Kershaw's inclusion on the Team USA roster for the WBC was seen as a chance for the future Hall of Famer to cap off his illustrious career with one final appearance in a U.S. uniform. However, the lack of blowout wins and close games prevented Kershaw from getting that storybook ending to his baseball career.
The details
In five WBC games, Kershaw did not make a single appearance for Team USA. His role was to be a 'break glass in case of emergency' reliever to come in and mop up a blowout win, but the U.S. team's games were either lopsided victories or close contests that did not provide those opportunities. Kershaw did get to experience being around the U.S. team and getting to know some of the younger stars of the game, but he did not get the chance to take the mound one last time.
- Kershaw announced his retirement from MLB last fall.
- Kershaw joined the Team USA roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic just a few months after retiring.
- Kershaw's final game with Team USA was on March 14, 2026, when the U.S. defeated Canada 5-3 in the quarterfinals.
The players
Clayton Kershaw
An 11-time MLB All-Star and future Hall of Famer who spent his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, winning three Cy Young Awards and two World Series titles before announcing his retirement last fall.
Jeff Hoffman
A relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays who replaced Kershaw on the Team USA roster for the remainder of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
What they’re saying
“I'm definitely glad I did it. Being around this group is a fun way to end it, honestly. I got to know some of these guys that are kind of the faces of the game moving forward, and I got to meet them and watch them up close. It's been a blessing.”
— Clayton Kershaw (MLB.com)
What’s next
Kershaw plans to head home and fly to Miami with his family to cheer on Team USA in the WBC semifinals on Sunday night and potentially the championship game on Tuesday.
The takeaway
While Kershaw did not get the chance to pitch one final time in a U.S. uniform, his inclusion on the Team USA roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic allowed him to experience being around the next generation of baseball stars and provided a fitting end to his Hall of Fame career.
