A lot will feel and look the identical for the Dodgers in 2026. They are going to start the season because the defending World Collection champions, and have each purpose to suppose they’ll win one other. The highlight shall be brilliant, Dodger Stadium shall be packed, and the roster shall be crammed with high-profile, extremely paid stars.
However there shall be one very notable absence. For the primary time since 2007, Clayton Kershaw is not going to pitch for the Dodgers subsequent season. The left-hander retired after making one final run in 2025, which led to him reaching 3,000 profession strikeouts and capturing his third World Collection ring earlier than using off into the sundown.
How way back was 2007, in Dodgers phrases? That yr’s group was managed by Grady Little and completed fourth within the NL West, eight video games behind the Diamondbacks and Rockies. Brad Penny and Derek Lowe led the beginning rotation, Takashi Saito was a lockdown nearer, and the lineup featured the likes of Juan Pierre, Rafael Furcal, Luis Gonzalez, Nomar Garciaparra and newly minted Corridor of Famer Jeff Kent. A 44-year-old David Wells pitched the ultimate seven video games of his 21-year profession.
So much has occurred since then, to say the least, each throughout baseball and with the franchise, which has seen an enviable array of expertise come by way of throughout this time. We’ll discuss with that right here because the Kershaw Period. And for the sake of appreciating all of that expertise, we’ve gone by way of the train under of constructing the “Kershaw Period Dodgers All-Stars.” This can be a full 26-man roster, based mostly on the most effective seasons produced by gamers, for the Dodgers, throughout Kershaw’s profession (2008-25).
If you happen to suppose the present Dodgers roster is stacked, get a load of this group. (WAR figures under by way of Baseball-Reference.)
The sight of this could be sufficient to make any pitcher — even perhaps Kershaw himself — escape in a chilly sweat. It options two NL MVP Award winners in Ohtani (who posted the primary 50-50 season in MLB historical past) and Bellinger. Kemp was a deserving winner who completed an in depth second to Ryan Braun, and Betts and Freeman completed second and third, respectively, to Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2023.
Seager, in the meantime, took NL Rookie of the 12 months honors as a 22-year-old standout in 2016. Turner, a cornerstone of the Kershaw Period, had maybe his greatest season in 2017, three years after the group famously plucked him off the scrap heap and noticed him blossom right into a key contributor.
You understand a lineup has some severe enamel when a 33-homer slugger and a .404-OBP desk setter (plus World Collection hero) are batting within the backside two spots.
These are the gamers who couldn’t crack the beginning lineup, although they every had an argument for doing so.
Martin was behind the plate for Kershaw’s MLB debut on Could 25, 2008, on his approach to a second straight All-Star season at age 25. Muncy’s 209 homers are probably the most for the Dodgers within the Kershaw Period, and 2019 was one in all 4 occasions he hit both 35 or 36. Turner solely spent one full season in L.A. between a 2021 Commerce Deadline acquisition and a free-agent take care of Philadelphia, however he made it rely.
Whereas he couldn’t maintain his peak for lengthy, Puig was a jaw-dropping, dynamic sensation after debuting in early June 2013, batting .436/.467/.713 that month. Taylor, like Turner and Muncy, is one other face of this golden period — a participant acquired for little who turned a rock-solid contributor for a few years (in his case with large defensive versatility).
Clearly, Kershaw has to entrance the rotation of the Kershaw Period Dodgers All-Stars. The one query was which Kershaw season ought to or not it’s? A number of have sturdy instances as his greatest, together with 2013 and ‘15, however ultimately, his MVP-winning marketing campaign has to get the nod.
Kershaw has briefly shared a rotation with the likes of Greg Maddux (a part of 2008) and Max Scherzer (a part of 2021), however neither makes the reduce right here. Greinke, who might someday have a plaque alongside Kershaw’s in Cooperstown, authored a forty five 2/3-inning scoreless streak in 2015. Greinke (second), Ryu (second), Yamamoto (third) and Buehler (fourth) all obtained Cy Younger Award consideration, with Yamamoto beating out a crowded subject of challengers for the ultimate rotation spot by advantage of his legendary postseason efficiency this yr.
Kershaw is aware of higher than most that the bullpen was a sore spot for the Dodgers at many — however actually not all — factors throughout his tenure. Nonetheless, there have been no scarcity of dominant particular person seasons over that point, together with a number of by Jansen, whose 350 saves for Los Angeles are greater than twice what every other pitcher in franchise historical past has produced.
Broxton had a powerful run within the Dodgers ‘pen within the pre-Jansen days and he provides a second nearer to the combination. The remainder of this group consists of two extraordinarily nasty left-handers in Vesia and Kuo (who additionally as soon as launched a memorable homer and bat flip). They’re joined by three right-handers from latest Dodgers groups, every of whom had been at their greatest in numerous seasons.
