the k is for kershaw kountdown continues!

clayton kershaw made his 2025 season debut (to start his 18th big league campaign overall) last night at dodger stadium against the angels. i was very happy to see him back on the bump, and also pleased to be able to post another edition of the k is for kershaw kountdown as we track his progress to the 3,000 strikeout milestone.

kershaw pitched four innings and struck out two batters to give him 2 strikeouts for the 2025 season. those 2 halos that he k'd increased his career total to 2,970.

in honor of his performance, here are 2 not seen on this blog before cards from my collection to represent strikeouts 2,969 through 2,970.

2,969 - 2024 topps chrome lids mitchell & ness

seeing kershaw on the 1996 topps design made this a must get card for me last year

2,970 - 2024 topps chrome cosmic

i am really not sure how this set is distributed as i have only seen singles of it in bargain boxes at card shows. i will grab some of the cards every time, though.

kershaw struck out the first batter he faced, but then allowed a hit followed by a couple of walks and soon thereafter, the angels had a 3-0 lead. he threw a 1-2-3 inning in the second, however, and wound up giving up five runs and throwing 83 pitches overall. there were three walks, and a few more three ball counts. the angels seemed to be swinging out of their shoes at times as kershaw's velocity and location were a bit off which is certainly understandable.

here's a non-kershaw card - it's andy pages' 2023 panini donruss bomb squad insert (rapture parallel)

pages hit a three run homer in the bottom of the first to tie the game and then later made a fantastic catch in right field to limit the angel scoring in the top of the fourth. he is really solidifying his spot as one of the dodgers' everyday outfielders.

kershaw remains in 21st place on the all-time leader board, and he will remain there until he passes zack greinke. greinke has a career strikeout total of 2,979, and so kershaw is now 9 k's behind greinke and 30 away from the 3,000 milestone. 

kershaw should be back on the mound next weekend against the mets at citi field. know that when he makes his next start, i will be back to update the kountdown soon thereafter. stay tuned!