During the critical 11th inning with the Dodgers leading 4-4 in Game 7, Yoshinobu Yamamoto took the mound on no days of rest to close out the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. As Kershaw warmed up in the bullpen, he witnessed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. double to lead off the inning, prompting him to increase his throwing intensity. However, he missed a crucial sequence of events. When Addison Barger walked with one out and Kirk grounded into a double play to end the series, Kershaw remained entirely focused on his pitching mechanics. And someone else who had to inform him.

“I had no idea we won the World Series,” Kershaw recalled on the “On Base With Mookie Betts” podcast on November 7. Bullpen coach Josh Bard had to physically inform him of the victory.

“I was warming up and saw Vladdy hit the double, so I started getting going faster. I didn’t see Kiner-Falefa bunt. I didn’t see that. So I saw Barger is on first with the walk, so Kirk grounds into the double play, and I’m thinking, two outs, run scores, game is tied. We’ve got a lefty, Varsho up, I’m in the game,” Clayton Kershaw added.

The pitcher’s mental isolation during those key moments showed how important it is to stay focused in high-pressure playoff situations. Kershaw pitched Game 3 of the World Series, which went 18 innings, and his performance in the 12th inning was the most important.

He got Nathan Lukes out on the ground with the bases loaded, which kept the game going and gave Freddie Freeman the chance to hit a walk-off home run that won the game for the Dodgers 6-5. That appearance showed why Kershaw stayed in the bullpen during the clinching game: he could be needed right away if the game went on longer.

Yamamoto’s execution in those last moments was the end of his first postseason with the Dodgers. The Japanese right-hander had thrown 96 pitches in Game 6 and then came back without any rest to pitch 2.2 scoreless innings in the clinching game. This shows the toughness needed to win championships. His ability to get Kirk out with runners in scoring position proved that manager Dave Roberts made the right choice by keeping him in the game even though he hadn’t had much rest.

Kershaw’s presence in the bullpen, even though he never played, showed that the Dodgers had depth and veteran leadership that helped them become a dynasty. Kershaw retired as a three-time World Series champion, ending a career that changed the way the Dodgers play baseball.

Clayton Kershaw retires, and the Dodgers turn to Shota Imanaga for championship glory

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a tough choice to make now that Clayton Kershaw is gone if they want to win their third straight title. The defending champions need to fill the hole in their rotation left by their legendary pitcher, and one name has come up as a possible game-changer: Shota Imanaga, a left-handed pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. The Dodgers’ winning formula depends on keeping their rotation deep, a lesson that Yamamoto’s important performance on short rest showed again.

According to Fansided’s Chris Landers, the Dodgers possess a significant advantage in targeting international talent. “But you can never have too much pitching, and no team knows that better than the Dodgers, given the injuries they’ve had to deal with in recent years. Plus, we know how much pull they have with players from Japan. If Imanaga’s open to a shorter-term deal, don’t rule out the rich getting richer just because they can,” Landers wrote.

The organization’s ties to Japanese players give it an advantage that few other teams can match. Imanaga’s numbers weren’t as good as they had been the year before: he went 9-8 with a 3.73 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 144 innings.

But adding him to a rotation that already includes Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow makes for a strong starting five. The depth lets the Dodgers plan rest days carefully, keeping their veteran arms safe while still staying on top.

The group can build up young bullpen arms around this established core at the same time. Now, speed is important. Before Los Angeles gets another piece to their championship puzzle, another team could make its move on Imanaga.