Clayton Kershaw’s final home start results in a lot of emotion and a playoff berth being clinched – Dodgers Digest

Despite being in the midst of a race for the playoffs, the main story of this game was deservedly Clayton Kershaw‘s final home start. While he didn’t go deep enough for the win and the offense didn’t score soon enough to get him one anyway, Kershaw gave them a chance to win and the Dodgers took advantage behind Shohei Ohtani‘s big blow and the pen managed to keep the Giants down this time for a 6-3 victory.

That’s three in a row now and it also clinched a playoff berth.

Your defending World Series champs are heading back to the #Postseason ?

The @Dodgers are playing October baseball for the 13th straight season! #CLINCHED pic.twitter.com/8RgwBT6vNW

— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025

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Obviously, the main character of this game was Clayton Kershaw, who was making his final regular season home start.

A special moment between Clayton and his family before the game. ? pic.twitter.com/nDGSmTIWxt

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2025

Clayton Kershaw emerges from the dugout for his final regular-season start at Dodger Stadium ? pic.twitter.com/2ePCrupkiS

— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025

From the beginning, the atmosphere was electric, and he got an ovation before he threw a pitch.

Clayton Kershaw takes the mound alone and is showered in applause by Dodger fans and teammates ?#FridayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/eJSzNNfHQ4

— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025

Dodger Stadium showing love to Clayton. pic.twitter.com/Iiky3oWF4K

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2025

Unfortunately, and almost amusingly, Heliot Ramos played the role of party pooper by almost hitting the first pitch of the game out for a homer, then actually hitting the third pitch of the game (on an 0-2 count) for a homer for a 1-0 Giants lead.

It’s a leadoff home run for Heliot Ramos on #FridayNightBaseball ?

(MLB x @Chevrolet) pic.twitter.com/kyqM7gzIm3

— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025

A one-out walk and then an Enrique Hernandez error on a double-play ball gave the Giants a threat, but Kershaw got a strikeout and lineout to end the inning.

It was pretty clear early on that he didn’t have his best command, but like he’s done so often in his career, he largely minimized the damage and kept his team in it. He worked around a lead-off and one-out walk in the 2nd, though he did relent in the 3rd via a one-out double and single that gave the Giants their second run.

Another walk followed that, but he induced a double play to get out of the 3rd. After working around a lead-off single in the 4th, his pitch count was approaching the end already at 86 pitches. However, Dave Roberts let him come out for the 5th to get one batter, and after getting squeezed on a pitch, he finally did strikeout Rafael Devers to complete his outing: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 6 K, 91 Pitches.

A great moment, as he got a long ovation, hugs from teammates, and a curtain call that could’ve been two.

Clayton Kershaw, forever a legend. pic.twitter.com/g7A5yVAIvp

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2025

Oh right, there was also the game still, of course, and Edgardo Henriquez entered to complete the 5th on just six pitches, notching a strikeout as well.

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While Kershaw didn’t get the win, the Dodgers would eventually back him in the game at least.

Last time out, Robbie Ray had trouble finding the zone and limiting damage against the Dodgers, but he looked much sharper this time around. After a quiet 1st, Miguel Rojas did get to him with his seventh homer of the year.

Miggy for the tie! pic.twitter.com/C1BUf3jRGn

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2025

An Andy Pages double that followed was stranded, and Ray then got a clean 3rd. He faced the minimum in the 4th despite a walk when Teoscar Hernandez got picked off, and started the 5th with an out as well. However, things unraveled quickly, as Pages singled and Enrique walked to put a pair on. After a strikeout put Ray on the verge of escape, it was Shohei Ohtani who came up to smashed a three-run shot the other way for a 4-2 lead. That was his 52nd, and Mookie Betts then followed with his 20th to make it 5-2 and knock Ray out of the game.

Shohei and Mookie go back-to-back! pic.twitter.com/nAhYlE2ymC

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2025

Shohei Ohtani loves hitting homers on September 19th ? pic.twitter.com/nuADJCnXDB

— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025

This may be the coldest bat flip Shohei Ohtani has ever broken out ? https://t.co/jo5QYhUyNx pic.twitter.com/pCAskBrwhe

— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2025

Against their pen, back-to-back two-out doubles in the 6th from Miguel Rojas and Andy Pages then added another run to make it 6-2.

Andy Pages rips another double, adding on an insurance run. pic.twitter.com/N9s5s0GB1V

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) September 20, 2025

They didn’t add anything further on in the 7th or 8th.

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Back to the Dodgers pen, it was still Henriquez in the game for the 6th. He got a pair of strikeouts, but sandwiched between that was a weak groundball single and passed ball to put a runner in scoring position. Justin Wrobleski entered to get the final out of the frame, which he did via strikeout.

He continued in the 7th, getting two strikeouts but also allowing a double between, and he gave up a run-scoring single to cut the lead to 6-3 before getting through that frame.

Of all people, it was Kirby Yates in the 8th, and of all things he cruised through a clean nine-pitch inning.

To close things out, it was Tanner Scott in the 9th, and he finished a rather ideal day for the pen. Scott made things a little exciting thanks to a lead-off infield single and one-out walk, but two strikeouts an a pop-out to end it secured the save.

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No. Thank you, Kersh. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/bsvPLLKU86

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2025

A special toast for Kersh. pic.twitter.com/fxTk4Y6oXg

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2025

“This has to be the most important six weeks of our lives…because we have what everyone wants.” pic.twitter.com/mRnfqcASMB

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2025

Removing the pitching rubber with Clayton and his kids. 👀 pic.twitter.com/JblMXPRbWP

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2025

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The series continues on tomorrow an hour earlier for the weekend at 3:10 PM HT/6:10 PM PT/9:10 PM ET on SNLA. It’ll be Tyler Glasnow on the bump facing off against Kai-Wei Teng.