Emotions hit Kershaw at parade ‘long time coming’
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Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw approached the podium on a blue, circular stage set up in center field at Dodger Stadium on Friday, after the downtown parade he’d always wanted, with his teammates bowing from behind, and the emotions hit him.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Kershaw, his voice cracking, told a crowd of 42,448 people who showed up to celebrate the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ World Series title. “I didn’t have anything to do with this championship, but it feels like I have the best feeling in the world — that I get to celebrate with you guys!”
When the Dodgers last won it all, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented them from enjoying most of the pageantry presented to Major League Baseball’s champion, most notably a parade. Kershaw, who had spent his prolonged career chasing a title, never got to fully enjoy a moment that admittedly lifted a massive burden off his shoulders. When the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night, it gave the franchise its first full-season championship since 1988 and provided its players with an opportunity to fully celebrate.
It probably meant most to Kershaw, even if a foot injury prevented him from helping.
“I think in 2020 there was like a sense of relief almost,” Kershaw said. “And this one — especially because my role is pretty limited, just to be able to sit back and enjoy it, you know? I think there’s just a lot more happiness, honestly. Just so happy to be able to celebrate finally. That parade was for this season, and I feel that this season was unique in its own, and we’re gonna celebrate accordingly. But 2020, too — it’s a long time coming. We had a long time coming for this parade. So to be able to finally do it — I think the build-up made it even sweeter, honestly.”
Seven double-decker buses consisting of players, family members and coaches took a two-mile route from Gloria Molina Grand Park near City Hall, down 1st Street and through Grand Avenue before making their way to Dodger Stadium at around 12:30 p.m. PT. Ice Cube, who famously kicked off Game 2 of the World Series last week, greeted them with a rendition of his iconic song “It Was A Good Day.” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts danced alongside him, then went about introducing some of his key players.
Walker Buehler, who recorded the final out, wore Orel Hershiser’s grey road jersey from the 1988 World Series and yelled expletives into the microphone. Kiké Hernández, in many ways the team’s spiritual leader, stirred the crowd by prompting them to yell “we don’t give a f—,” a reference to his line during an on-field, postgame interview after a pennant-clinching victory. Shohei Ohtani navigated the parade with his dog, Decoy, in tow, then spoke English from the stage.
“This is so special for me,” Ohtani told the crowd. “I’m so honored to be here and to be part of this team. Congratulations, Los Angeles. Thank you, fans!”
Some of the biggest cheers went to Freddie Freeman, who willed his way through a litany of injuries in October and ultimately won World Series MVP. Roberts introduced Freeman as someone who “played with one leg and one rib,” a reference to his sprained right ankle and, as ESPN reported Thursday, the broken costal cartilage he sustained the night before the National League Division Series.
Roberts said the team “got out of the woods” with Freeman’s rib issue in the time off between the end of the NL Championship Series and the start of the World Series, helping Freeman launch a Kirk Gibson-style walk-off grand slam in Game 1.
“But he wasn’t nearly close to 100 percent,” Roberts added.
Neither was Kershaw, of course.
The 36-year-old left-hander underwent shoulder surgery last offseason and didn’t make his 2024 debut until late July. Then, in his seventh start, he aggravated a long-standing toe injury. Attempts to return for the postseason only led to other ailments, forcing him out for the stretch run of the season.
On Wednesday, Kershaw said, he’ll undergo surgery to fix his left foot — consisting of a bone spur and a ruptured plantar plate, among other issues — and another procedure to address a meniscus issue in his left knee.
At some point over these next few days, Kershaw will either exercise his player option for 2025 or sign a new contract to return for his 18th season with the Dodgers.
For 17 years, Kershaw established himself as one of the most monumental figures in the franchise’s illustrious history. He won three Cy Young Awards and an MVP, made 10 All-Star teams, became the all-time leader in strikeouts and accumulated the second-most wins. But he was continually part of star-studded Dodger teams that came up short in the playoffs and, fairly or not, shouldered the blame for much of it.
The 2020 championship brought him vindication.
The 2024 championship allowed him to properly celebrate.
“I knew it was gonna be a special day, all the stuff, but it was a little bit more emotional than I expected,” Kershaw said. “It’s a day that I’ll definitely never forget. You know, baseball is just a game. Everybody says that. But I don’t know, man. You look around and you see how much it means to so many different people. It might be baseball, but it means a lot to a lot of different people. I’m no different.”
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is starting to take shape.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. become the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He has since been followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals and Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins.
As the entrants are announced, we’ll add them to the running list below — and break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 9 | Longest: 467 feet
Why he could win: Acuna has been crushing it since he returned to the lineup May 23 after knee surgery. Indeed, his numbers are even better than during his MVP season in 2023. It should help that he’ll be hitting in front of his home fans in Atlanta: Todd Frazier in Cincinnati in 2015 and Bryce Harper with the Nationals in 2018 rode the loud support to Derby titles. Acuna’s raw power should also translate well to the Derby: Among players with at least 500 at-bats since 2023, he has the longest average home run distance in the majors.
Why he might not: Will he run into Pete Alonso again? Acuna competed in the 2019 and 2022 contests, losing both times to Alonso by a single home run (in the semifinals in 2019 and in the first round in 2022). The home-field advantage can also perhaps be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first with 41 home runs but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 35 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, with 32 home runs, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he can win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he won’t: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
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