*This content was translated by AI.
"Why is Kershaw in the U.S. national team?"
It was a game where the question that I would have asked because it was interesting came back in half. Clayton Kershaw (38), who announced his retirement after last season, was humiliated in his last practice game wearing the U.S. national team uniform.
Kershaw was sluggish with one hit (one homer) and two runs in ⅔ innings in a practice game against the Colorado Rockies compared to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) held at Salt Riverfields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona on the 5th (Korea time).
Kershaw took the mound as the second pitcher in the bottom of the fourth inning with the U.S. national team leading 3-1. The opponent was Mickey Moniac (28), who was the first overall player in the first round of the 2016 rookie draft. After failing to grow despite many expectations, he moved to Colorado last year and finally showed his potential.
However, Kershaw's control was not good from the start. He blasted a fastball near 137 kilometers per hour and threw an 85.3 mph slider (about 137 km) high on his body from 0 ball and 2 strikes. Moniac passed the ball out of the right fence, making it a 414-foot home run (about 126 meters).
Kershaw's humiliation did not end here. The next batter, Jordan Beck, handled the first pitch with a straight hit to center field. However, he allowed a walk to Braxton Fulford after a full count and even gave up a wild pitch. Of the six balls thrown to Fulford, only two were in the strike zone, making him feel free over the years.
In the end, he was pulled out without finishing an inning. Only high balls were sprayed to TJ Rumfield, and the ball flew to the outfield again this time. Kershaw, who managed to get two outs, was replaced by Carson Skipper and went down the mound. Kershaw's earned run increased to two points as the skipper allowed Kyle Carros to hit a two-run shot to left-center field.
Apart from Kershaw's lackluster performance, the U.S. national team defeated Colorado 14-4 with strong firepower. Brian Buxton came out as a pinch hitter and scored two RBIs in two at-bats (one home run), as well as a total of five home runs and 14 long and short hits, making it a complete victory in the eighth inning.
In the U.S., most of the respondents say it is unfortunate. U.S. media outlet Dodgers Nation said, "Kershaw's appearance was not what we wanted. However, the U.S. national team beat the San Francisco Giants 15-1 and then Colorado 14-4."
He also explained the background with the question, "Why is Kershaw on the U.S. national team?" This is because Kershaw announced his retirement from active duty after last season. Kershaw made his big league debut in 2008 and went 223-96 with a 2.53 ERA and 3052 strikeouts in 2855 ⅓ innings in just one Los Angeles Dodgers team. He is a legend who has won a total of three Cy Young Awards, including three MVP and pitcher, won two World Series titles, and is certain to enter the Hall of Fame first turn.
Unlike the U.S. national team's lineup, which had an all-star lineup, the mound even touched Kershaw as many players showed reluctance. In response, Kershaw said, "Choosing the national team is the same as my bucket list. I wanted to go again and again, but it didn't go well for many reasons. But I'm really happy to finally play for the U.S.," he said.
However, it is true that there was a lot of controversy over Kershaw's joining. Kershaw was also surprised when he was first asked to join the team by national team coach Mark Derosa. At the time, Kershaw said on ESPN, "To be honest, I wasn't very interested in throwing the ball again. But I threw the ball 10-12 days ago and it was better than I thought. That's why I decided to participate," he said.
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*This content was translated by AI.
