The Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw should be a Hall of Famer in ball one.
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Los Angeles Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw announced in September that he would retire after this season.
Kershaw, 37, posted a career ERA of 2.53 over 18 seasons, the lowest by any MLB pitcher in the live-ball era (since 1920) with at least 1,000 innings pitched.
Tom “Flash” Gordon, the former MLB star, told Fox News Digital that Kershaw should be the premier Hall of Famer in ball.
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Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Clayton Kershaw waves his spot as he leaves during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners. The game took place in Seattle, Washington, on September 28, 2025. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
“I’ll tell you this, if he’s not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, you know, I haven’t played 21 years in the league, and I’m not talking today. I know that’s what we’re doing now,” Gordon told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
Gordon watched a lot of Kershaw because his son, DeString Gordon, played for the Dodgers for four seasons.
“I watched a lot of Clayton because, you know, of course Dee was there, but the way the guy went about it, the way the guy came out on the mound after taking care of things before pitching to me,” Gordon said.
“He’s an elite athlete, but he was an example that with the way he took the ball, the way he put down Dodgers in the playoffs and put that on his back for years.”
Kershaw joined the illustrious 3000-Strikeout club earlier this season and is one of 11 pitchers to win the Cy Young Award three times. He led the National League in ERA five times.
Gordon said Kershaw lifted his teammates with his performance.
“I’ve always learned, and I’ve learned this from (being) around Roger Clemens and (Brett) Saberhagen as a pitcher, that when you have a guy like that, everything else you do. You can learn how to play, and become a better player because that guy will guarantee you, for the most part, that the bullpen won’t extend him,” Gordon said.
Former MLB star Tom Gordon is talking about becoming the subject of a Stephen King novel
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw waves as he leaves during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners. The game took place in Seattle, Washington, on September 28, 2025. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
“That’s what Pedro Martinez was, that’s what I look at in Kershaw.
Kershaw won the World Series with the Dodgers in 2020 and 2024, and Gordon wants the left-handed pitcher to end his career a champion.
“If they play well enough to do well enough, that way, he can get another playoff series championship,” Gordon said.
The Dodgers are up 2-0 over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, and Kershaw has yet to be hit this season. He is available outside bullpen.
Kershaw appeared in 23 games this season and posted an 11-2 record with a 3.36 ERA.
Game 3 of the NLDS is at 9:08 PM ET on Wednesday.
Gordon’s son, DeString Gordon, played 11 seasons in the majors. He made two All-Star teams in his career, and had a career average of .286, while playing solid defense at shortstop and second base.
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Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Tom “Flash” Gordon is honored on the field during a pregame ceremony prior to a Triple-A major league baseball game between the Lehigh Valley, Worcester Red Sox at Polar Park in Worcester, Massachusetts, on May 18, 2023. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tom Gordon is now very involved perfect game, The largest and most comprehensive Scouting organization in the world. He has a podcast, “Life Roles,” which he will debut soon.
Gordon travels the country in an RV, built with a custom podcast studio, interviewing current and former baseball players, managers, and executives.
Gordon played 21 seasons of major league baseball, was a three-time All-Star, and recorded 54 consecutive saves, which set a record at the time.
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