Clayton Kershaw Stuns Giants With Throwback Masterclass, Dodgers' Dave Roberts Calls It 'Vintage'

Clayton Kershaw's Stunning Outing: A Vintage Night at Oracle Park

If you thought Clayton Kershaw was winding down, Friday night was a firm reminder that legends never really fade. The 37-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, often labeled a baseball lifer, absolutely dominated the San Francisco Giants on June 14, 2025 — tossing seven shutout innings that left everyone watching shaking their heads in admiration.

Kershaw was in full control from the first pitch. He gave up just three hits, walked one batter, and notched five strikeouts — all while facing one of the Dodgers’ biggest rivals. Most impressive? It took just 81 pitches — 56 for strikes — to get it done. That’s the kind of efficiency you expect out of a pitcher in his prime, not one pitching deep into his third decade in the league.

The left-hander’s ERA dipped to 3.25 after this outing, reinforcing the idea that his age might just be a number. He’s now riding a 12-inning scoreless streak, and Friday’s start was his sixth of the season. While Kershaw grabbed headlines, the Dodgers’ offense piled on 11 early runs, giving him a huge cushion that let him really attack Giants hitters without worrying about perfection.

Dave Roberts' Praise and Kershaw’s Milestone Chase

No one seemed more impressed than Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He couldn’t stop talking about Kershaw’s pitching IQ and his signature slider, calling the performance “vintage” and emblematic of the kind of career that lands you in Cooperstown. Roberts specifically pointed out how Kershaw compensated for his fastball not hitting top speeds by expertly mixing his breaking stuff and reading hitters like a seasoned chess master.

Kershaw is now just a dozen strikeouts from the magical 3,000 mark — a milestone reached by only 19 other pitchers in MLB history. If all goes well, he could get there in his next start or two, a fact not lost on anyone in the Dodgers clubhouse or Kershaw himself. After the game, he seemed calm, almost matter-of-fact, about inching closer to a number that screams “all-time great.”

This win also nudged Kershaw’s record to 2-0 for 2025 and marked his 27th career victory over the Giants — a team he’s haunted for years. While he may not have the devastating velocity that once defined his early career, his command and approach keep hitters guessing. Even as Father Time whispers, Kershaw keeps rewriting what’s possible for a veteran pitcher, with Roberts and Dodgers faithful loving every minute.

For Dodgers fans and baseball fans in general, nights like these feel like a treat. The sight of Kershaw carving up the Giants in a key rivalry game, with big-league milestones on the horizon, just never gets old.