Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw is an American professional baseball pitcher who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and won three National League Cy Young Awards.

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2008 Major League Baseball draft: The annual selection of eligible amateur players by Major League Baseball clubs in 2008. The Dodgers selected Kershaw seventh overall, beginning his professional career.
Four-seam fastball: A fastball grip that emphasizes backspin and typically produces a relatively straight, high-velocity pitch. Kershaw used the pitch to establish velocity and set up his breaking pitches.
Los Angeles Dodgers: A Major League Baseball franchise based in Los Angeles and a member of the National League. The Dodgers drafted Kershaw and were his major-league team for most of his career.
2017 World Series: The championship series between the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers, won by Houston in seven games. Kershaw's difficult outings in this series shaped scrutiny of his postseason record.
2011 National League Cy Young Award: The award presented to the National League's best pitcher for the 2011 season. Kershaw won his first Cy Young Award after leading the league in several pitching categories.
Slider: A breaking pitch that moves laterally and downward as it approaches the batter. Its sharp movement became a major weapon against hitters, especially alongside his curveball.
Don Mattingly: An American former baseball player and manager who managed the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2011 to 2015. Mattingly managed Kershaw during the pitcher's first Cy Young Award seasons.
2020 National League Championship Series: The 2020 National League playoff series in which the Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves in seven games. Kershaw's strong starts helped counter doubts about his postseason performance.
2014 Major League Baseball season: The 2014 season of Major League Baseball, played by its 30 clubs. Kershaw won both the National League Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player award that season.
Curveball: A breaking pitch that drops as it approaches the batter, often with pronounced topspin. Kershaw's curveball gave hitters a slower, sharply dropping alternative to his fastball.