For years, the common belief in MLB has been that once a player enters their thirties, their prime time ends. But now, a Dodgers veteran has come along to rewrite that narrative. Someone who broke the streak of no “legend picks” for the All-Star game since 2022. To give you a bit of context: In 2022, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred last picked Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera as legend picks for the All-Star Game.
While most pitchers think about retirement at 37, this one is punching tickets at a historic pace. He has become only the 20th pitcher in MLB history to reach the 3,000-strikeout mark. That’s Clayton Kershaw for you! Yes, he is joining Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith, and Freddie Freeman for the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta.
“Clayton Kershaw is an All-Star again, selected by Commissioner Rob Manfred as his legend pick,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale shared.
Clayton Kershaw is an All-Star again, selected by Commissioner Rob Manfred as his legend pick.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 6, 2025
Kershaw is heading to his 11th All-Star Game, thanks to Commissioner Rob Manfred. Notably, Kershaw is the oldest player in this year’s All-Star lineup. And the first to receive the honor from Manfred since 2022. For the unversed, the Legend Pick is a way for the commissioner to tip his cap to players who might not make the roster based on current performance but have had legendary careers worth celebrating.
With this selection, Clayton Kershaw achieved another unique feat. He is now the first from the Dodgers to get into the All-Star game by a “legend pick” option. This probably came on the backdrop of his 3K milestone. However, is the performance of Kershaw this year not enough to get him voted for the All-Star game?
This season, Kershaw is firing all cylinders at the mound. Currently, he is standing with a 3.43 ERA and 32 SOs. Well, while Kershaw is a legend on his own, his numbers are far behind when it comes to the top 10 pitchers of MLB this year. For instance, Tarik Skubal of the Tigers is selected for the 2025 All-Star game, and he has a 2.02 ERA and 148 SOs. Far higher than that of Kershaw.
Hence, it would have been difficult for Clayton Kershaw to get into the All-Star scene by fan voting. So, considering his age and legendary status, Manfred probably used his “legend pick” clause to get Kershaw.
Now with Kershaw going to Atlanta, the Dodgers have a strong lineup for the All-Star and are notably the only team to have 5 players selected for the same. Just behind them, the Tigers and Mariners are trailing with 4 players each for the July 15 event.
Shohei Ohtani is the star of All-Star selections
Well, among all the All-Star names elected for the Dodgers this year, Kershaw has the most appearances (11), followed by Shobei Ohtani (5). But still, the Japanese phenom offers a unique proposition for the All-Star selection. And this comes with his consistency over the years.
Ohtani started his MLB journey in 2018 and was selected for the All-Star first time in 2021. Since then, he hasn’t missed a single year. First, it was with the Angels, and now with the Dodgers.
And this year, his hot start at the batter’s box and late arrival at the mound confirmed his place in the All-Star Game. And why not?
Currently, Ohtani is standing with 30 HRs and competing for the 2025 batting title, while posting a pretty good 1.50 ERA on the mound. Do you think a player of such caliber will miss the Midsummer Classic? No, and expectedly, Ohtani is traveling to Atlanta.
While Ohtani started hot at the batter’s box last year, his pitching is what caught the attention this year. Until now, the Dodgers’ star has pitched 6 innings and allowed only one run. His WHIP stands at 0.83 with 6 strikeouts.
If you check Ohtani’s game against the Astros, you will see his best. In the last game against the Astros, Ohtani pitched every delivery over 100 mph. It’s like the Dodgers have got someone who is Aaron Judge at the batter’s box and Paul Skenes at the mound. Who else will deserve the All-Star selection more than Shotime?
Nevertheless, baseball is unpredictable. With the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Gleyber Torres, Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and José Ramírez in the AL, July 15 will be nothing short of the Clash of the Titans. And it would be worth watching how Ohtani fares against the best of the best. Can you keep calm?
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