Clayton Kershaw Joining 3,000 Strikeout Club Leaves MLB Fans HYPED UP on Social Media: “Absolute Dodger GOAT”

Clayton Kershaw became the 20th pitcher in MLB to join the 3,000 strikeout club as he picked up 3 strikeouts against the White Sox on Wednesday.

Clayton Kershaw Joining 3,000 Strikeout Club Leaves MLB Fans HYPED UP on Social Media: “Absolute Dodger GOAT”

Clayton Kershaw (Image via X/@MLB)

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Clayton Kershaw achieved another huge milestone in his career on Wednesday night. The 3-time Cy Young Award winner entered the 3,000 strikeout club, becoming just the 20th different pitcher in MLB to cross this huge mark.

The southpaw has been one of the most influential figures in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ history. During the offseason, he signed another one-year deal with the team and entered his 18th season with the LA-based franchise.

In recent years, Kershaw has struggled with several injuries. In the championship-winning season last year, the veteran only managed to play 7 total games and spent the majority of the time on the sidelines.

With his 22 strikeouts last season, Kershaw started this year at 2,968 K’s and needed 32 more to reach the 3,000 strikeout milestone. Ahead of the game on Wednesday, the 37-year-old needed just 3 more strikeouts to join this exclusive club.

The historic moment came at the top of the 6th inning. He would strike out the Chicago White Sox’s Vinny Capra. The third baseman would go down swinging on an 85 mph slider to end the inning.

Kershaw became just the 3rd player to pick up 3,000 strikeouts and spend his entire career with one team. The other two players to do so are Walter Johnson (Washington Senators) and Bob Gibson (St. Louis Cardinals).

He also joins Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer as the only active players to have 3,000 strikeouts or more in their careers. Scherzer was the last one before Kershaw to join this exclusive club in 2021. Verlander, on the other hand, crossed this mark in September 2019.

Social media reacts to Clayton Kershaw’s iconic 3,000 strikeout achievement

History was made on Wednesday as Clayton Kershaw picked up his 3,000th strikeout in MLB. Fans on social media were left hyped up and went into a frenzy as the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher finally entered the exclusive 3K strikeout club.

Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw (Image via Imago)

Fans were quick to join in on the celebration as Kershaw scripted history. Users on X shared several congratulation message towards him. One user wrote, “Absolute Dodger GOAT” while expressing their feelings towards this moment.

Check out that and some other reactions from fans on X below:

Kershaw picked up his first strikeout in May 2008 when he was only 20 years old. He would have a seven-pitch battle with St. Louis Cardinals’ Skip Schumacher to register his first strikeout in the big leagues. Since then, he has gone on to establish himself as one of the greats of the game and has racked up a Hall of Fame resume.

LA Dodgers walk-off White Sox following Clayton Kershaw’s iconic 3K strikeout milestone

The Los Angeles Dodgers once again showed off their recovery powers as they came back from behind to win on Wednesday. The National League West side would walk-off the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on the day Clayton Kershaw scripted another massive MLB milestone with his 3,000th strikeout.

Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw (Image via X/@TalkinBaseball_)

When Kershaw scripted history, the Dodgers were 4-2 down. In this game against the White Sox, Kershaw gave up 9 hits and 4 earned runs. By the time he left the mound, he was facing his first loss of the season.

The Dodgers, though, scripted another comeback. Shohei Ohtani would first beat a double play attempt with the bases loaded to make it 4-3. Mookie Betts then hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the 9th inning.

Freddie Freeman would then end the ballgame with a line drive to right field. Ohtani would run around from 2nd base and reach home safely to complete the turnaround and win the game 5-4, and made sure Kershaw’s historic night did not get ruined.

This win was the Dodgers’ 8th win in their last 9 games. They will now enter the game on Thursday, hoping to sweep their opponents and continue their dominance in the NL West standings.

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