Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers has long been one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball, but a World Series championship has always eluded him – until this year.
He fell short in 2017 and 2018 when the Dodgers won the pennant but lost in the final round. Last week, however, the Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 to win the 2020 World Series in six games for their first championship since 1988.
“I just keep saying it over and over again — World Series champs, World Series champs. It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Kershaw said.
He was the winning pitcher in games one and five. Kershaw, an outspoken Christian, frequently expressed gratitude during the post-game news conference.
“I’m just so, so very thankful to be a part of this group of guy,” he said. “And so very thankful that we get to be on the team that is bringing back a World Series to the Dodgers fans after 32 years.”
Kershaw speaking about faith in 2018:
Kershaw has never been shy about discussing his Christian faith. He said in 2016 that he identified as a Christian while growing up but didn’t get serious about his beliefs until he was in high school. It was then, he said, that he tackled the question of: “What is this Jesus guy all about?”
Faith, he said, is the reason he exists. “Sports Spectrum” reported that Kershaw and his wife, Ellen, started a “faith-based, others-focused” non-profit organization, Kershaw’s Challenge. They also funded an orphanage in Zambia, Hope’s Home.
Kershaw lists Colossians 3:23 on his Twitter bio. “We’re not here to try and gain accolades for ourselves and gain fame and all this stuff,” he said. “The reason that we play baseball, and I get to do interviews like this, is to understand that God gave us all these opportunities to glorify Him.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice