Clayton Kershaw etched his name further into baseball history on Wednesday night, becoming only the 20th pitcher to reach 3,000 career strikeouts. The Los Angeles Dodgers star achieved the monumental feat when Vinny Capra of the Chicago White Sox took a slider for a called third strike, marking the final out of the sixth inning.
The significance of the milestone was not lost on Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who remarked before the game, "It’s the last box for Clayton to check in his tremendous career. He’s never been a person to look for kind of acknowledgment or attention, but he’s earned that whether he likes it or not." The sellout crowd of 53,536 rose to their feet, roaring their appreciation as the 37-year-old left-hander walked off the mound. Kershaw paused, doffed his cap, and waved to his wife and four children in the stands, patting his chest and mouthing, "Thank you," as teammates briefly held back to allow him to soak in the cheers.
