92ND MLB ALL-STAR GAME

July 19, 2022

Clayton Kershaw

Dodger Stadium

Press Conference

Q. How did it feel out there?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: It was fun. It was -- I tried to take a minute at the beginning to take it all in and look around and -- which I usually never do. And I think the moment itself, being here at Dodger Stadium, a place where I've been now for 15 years, and to get to do something like this with the best in the world, is really fun, and it was also really personal for me and my family, everybody. I'm excited it's over. I did okay. I got out of there with no runs, and now, I'm just going to go watch the game and enjoy it.

Q. Did you see Shohei leaning?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: No, I just kind of lobbed it over there. I didn't know what pitch to throw yet, so just kind of giving myself a second and I got him. Pitch count safer. It was good.

Q. Would you have to treat this like any other start to try to keep your emotions in check?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: Yes and no. I definitely did like the same preparation and stuff but just make sure the old man back didn't get hurt or anything. You know, it's a hectic couple days, wrangle in all the kiddos and stuff. But once 2:00, 3:00 rolled around, I tried to treat it as normal a start as I could. But it definitely felt a little different for sure.

Q. Were you happy with what Tony did with the suit?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: You know what, he showed me today. I still had not seen it until today. I thought it looked pretty good. I don't think I could pull it off, but I think he did pretty good with it. There's definitely a lot of cat theme in there. But no, I'm happy for him. I think he was really excited about it.

He looked great.

Q. Ohtani basically said right before the game that he's going to swing at the first pitch. Wondering, how do you approach that? You can't throw it out of the zone; right?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: I just faced him on Friday, too. Yeah, I mean, you can't throw the first pitch of an All-Star Game as a breaking ball (laughter). He didn't hit it over the fence, so it was a win and we can move on.

But yeah, you kind of had to give him a heater there, I think just for everything. Had to do it.

Q. Did you get the sense -- yesterday he said he wanted to hit a home run. Did you get the sense he was going for it?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: He's going for a home run every time. He swings at the first pitch a lot. All he has to do is touch it and it will go a long way. Broke his bat at least.

Q. Did you consider changeup?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: I had not thrown a changeup in a few starts. Maybe next start.

Q. When was the moment when you took it all in?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: You know, like right before the inning, leading up to it, I'm still like in the back of my mind, I still have to compete. And then, you know, right before the inning, I did, I just stepped on the back of the mound for a second and looked around and that was cool. I think it kind of calmed everything down for me, and then I had a lot of fun. I actually had a lot of fun pitching, which usually I don't have a lot of fun until we win.

It was actually a lot of fun today to be out there and the crowd was awesome. I can't say enough good things about Dodger fans, people in L.A. in general, just how much these last few days, how much they wanted me to do this. It meant a lot to me, too. So that was really cool.

Q. Mentioned your willingness to take a step back and absorb things. How much does that impact you as you go day-to-day?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: It's not that I was unappreciative in my younger days. I just felt like I had to keep my nose down and keep going. I think that's how I felt like I needed to do it to be successful. There's still a lot that have in me. I still -- eventually, like you just have to keep going. Can't take it all in because it could be over at any minute.

But I think as I've gotten older, understanding moments like these are unique and just kind of understanding that it's not going to happen again.

So I think that was a lot of it, too. Knowing that I'm not going to get to start an All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium ever again, it was just really cool for me to kind of take that all in at once.

Q. Ten years down the road, what do you think you take from this experience the last two days?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: That my two-year-old is a maniac (laughter). Trying to wrangle him for the Home Run Derby, I don't think I've ever been more tired than last night.

Other than that, I think just -- man, I don't know. I think getting to do this is really cool, and I'll remember it ten years from now. I just had a blast. I don't know if I have the right words for it right now. But it was such a unique experience for me that I think I'll look back on it and think, man, I'm so glad I got to do that. I'm really thankful I got that opportunity.

If you had told me at the beginning of the year or last month or even two weeks ago that I was going to get to start the All-Star Game, and I don't even really deserve to be here, it's really cool.

Q. How does it feel when your manager says you deserve to start because of all that you've done for baseball and for the Dodgers?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: It's a huge honor. But at the same time, you know, the All-Star Game is the best of the best of the first half. Sandy had an incredible first half and he deserves it. I'm glad he got to pitch and I'm glad he did a great job. We all know that he's the best pitcher on the planet right now, and it meant a little more to me being here. I was appreciative of Snit and Sandy and everybody that just allowed me to do this.

That also made it really special, too.

Q. Did you talk to Sandy at all?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: Yeah, I called him -- I talked to him yesterday, but I called him when Snit called me and I found out I got the start. I talked to him. He was awesome about it and I was really thankful about that.

Q. One of your signature moves, when there's a runner, it happens to be Ohtani, but if there's a runner, did you want to do the pick-off move?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: I didn't want to be on first base at all. But honestly I didn't know quite know what to throw yet. Sometimes I throw over there for a second to be convicted with the pitch. I wasn't trying to pick him off. I was trying to delay the game for a bit, but it worked out.

Q. How was this different from what you had imagined, starting an All-Star Game?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: I think starting an All-Star Game is a really special thing. I think being at the All-Star Game in general is just more important. You get to be around the guys and you get to see it. I think because it was at Dodger Stadium, that's why I wanted to do it so much. This place means a lot to me. I've had a lot of great times here. I've had some rough times here, too. But overall, this place is just super special for me, and to get to do this here more than anything is why it was so special to me.

Q. You mentioned, physical preparation was similar. Was the mental? Were you looking at scouting reports?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: I did some scouting. I tried to figure out how to get Judge out. I had faced Ohtani before, Judge and Devers, and I went all the way down to fourth. If I had to face more than four batters, I didn't know what to do (laughter) I tried to be as prepared as I could for sure.

Q. How many times have you stepped off the mound and seen what the stadium looks like from that perspective with the fans in the stands?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: I mean, very few times. Sometimes after good games, kind of walking around after, like walking off the mound, but never before a game and certainly never during a game. You've got a job to do. You've got to get guys out. But today was different, so I did it. I won't do it again any time soon.

Q. What did you see when you looked up?

CLAYTON KERSHAW: I don't know. You trying to get me all deep (laughter). I don't know.

Q. You don't have the kids here.

CLAYTON KERSHAW: I just saw a lot of -- I just saw a lot of people that meant a lot to me. Looking around the stadium, I saw a lot of people that were here to watch a baseball game, and I got to be a part of it, so it was cool.

Q. I just want to come up here real quick. So this moment's kind of special. So I'm Blake Rice. I'm from Denver, Colorado, and I want to tell you a quick little story.

CLAYTON KERSHAW: Okay.

Q. So my grandpa loved you. He watched the 1988 series, and he wanted to meet you and Vin Scully one day. So this moment is important to me because I'm meeting you for him.

CLAYTON KERSHAW: Oh, wow, okay.

Q. He was from Redondo Beach, and a little while ago, a few years, some years ago, he died from brain cancer.

CLAYTON KERSHAW: Sorry about that, Buddy.

Come here, dude, great to meet you. Thanks for telling me. That took a lot of courage to tell me that. Great to meet you. Your granddad sounded like an awesome guy. Thanks for coming up. That took a lot of courage, man, that was awesome. Thanks, Buddy.

Q. Thank you for your time.

CLAYTON KERSHAW: Thanks for coming.