Retiring MLB great leaves polarizing legacy against the Cardinals

Every major league baseball player's retirement is a little different. Many all-time greats announce prior to a season that it will be their last ride and are celebrated throughout the league all year long. Think of Derek Jeter and, to a lesser extent, Albert Pujols. Other superstars don't announce their retirement until much of the season has wrapped up, hoping to stay out of much of the limelight. That's the route that Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw chose when he declared on Sept. 18 that he will be hanging up his spikes after the 2025 season, and nobody would blame St. Louis Cardinals fans for having mixed feelings about one of the greatest pitchers of all time calling it a career.

Kershaw holds a complex history against the Cardinals.

Players who spend 18 years in the league like Kershaw will inevitably experience peaks and valleys, but Kershaw's history against St. Louis is among the more adventurous routes one could take. His major league debut was against the Cardinals on May 25, 2008, and Baseball America's seventh-ranked prospect overall that season didn't disappoint for the boys in blue, as he fired six innings of two-run ball while striking out seven but not receiving a decision as the Dodgers won 4-3 in 10 innings.

Through his illustrious career, Kershaw boasts some impressive numbers against the Cardinals, as he likely does against most other teams. He holds a 12-6 record with a 2.84 ERA and 158 strikeouts in his 23 starts. However, for Kershaw, the postseason has been a different beast.

Long known as a "choker" in the playoffs, Kershaw holds a 4.49 ERA in 39 postseason appearances and a 13-13 record. He pitched in nine playoff series before finally securing a championship in the shortened 2020 season. Against the Cardinals, his postseason stats are even less glamorous: In five appearances, Kershaw holds an 0-4 record and a 6.14 ERA.

One of the more memorable modern Cardinals playoff moments came off of Kershaw in the 2014 NLDS, when Matt Adams swatted a three-run home run in the seventh inning to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead and carry them to the NLCS.

The Cardinals made some headlines on June 8, 2025, when, prior to Kershaw's likely final start in Busch Stadium, the Cardinals played a highlight of Adams' fabled home run on the big screen. Following the game, Kershaw called the Cardinals' actions "bush league" but said he expected this type of action from the franchise.

It seemed to be an unnecessary jab at the Cardinals from Kershaw, especially given the southpaw's mediocre postseason performance against them, and there could remain some hard feelings from Cardinals fans regarding Kershaw because of it. Despite that, Kershaw has left a lasting legacy on baseball and on the Cardinals — even if the latter is one he'd rather forget.