SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — He allowed a home run, a walk and threw a wild pitch but none of that took away from Clayton Kershaw‘s first experience pitching for Team USA.
Kershaw, the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching legend who retired after last season, is on the World Baseball Classic roster as a “break glass in case of emergency” player. He’ll be called upon only if there is a blowout, so there is no guarantee he’ll see game action in the tournament.
That means Wednesday’s exhibition against the Colorado Rockies could have been his only time on the mound wearing a Team USA jersey.
“Just being on this team was a bucket list thing for me from the beginning,” Kershaw said after Team USA’s 14-4 win. “Obviously, I thought I was never going to throw a baseball again. So to get to do it with Team USA across your chest and come back to that dugout, that team is really special.”
Kershaw gave up a long home run to Rockies center fielder Mickey Moniak in the fourth inning, but the pro-Rockies crowd cheered louder for the pitcher than the hitter that inning.
Despite years of haunting the Rockies, fans recognized what Kershaw has meant to the game, rising to their feet after he was pulled with two outs.
“I had chills out there for the little standing ovation he got,” Team USA captain Aaron Judge said. “The crowd went crazy for him pitching.”
Kershaw admitted “it wasn’t going to be fun” to pick up a baseball again but couldn’t pass up the opportunity when manager Mark DeRosa called.
His teammates might be as excited as he is.
“I never knew he never got to play in the WBC,” Kyle Schwarber said. “I’m so excited for him. To be able to pick his brain — a first-ballot Hall of Famer — you get to hear him talk, that’s awesome.”
DeRosa hasn’t indicated when or how Kershaw could pitch in a WBC game, but his best chances are during pool play as Team USA has an easy draw. They scored 29 runs in two exhibition games.
Whatever happens, he’s just happy to be a part of it.
“If that was the last time on the mound, it was worth it for sure,” he said. “I felt fine. Arm feels good, body’s fine. I mean, it’s not good anymore, but it’s good enough for me not to embarrass myself.”
