Dodgers News: Walker Buehler Talks What Clayton Kershaw Has Meant to Him

The former first round draft pick discusses what Kershaw has mean to him in his career

Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw were supposed to be the driving forces in the 2022 season. 

Buehler was coming off a phenomenal 2021 season and was top 5 in NL Cy Young, and Kershaw played fantastic in 22 games but missed time due to back and pelvis injuries. 

However, in 2022 Buehler only pitched in 12 games and suffered a Tommy John injury that kept him out the whole year and possibly out all of next season. 

Clayton became a free agent for about a minute this off-season before returning to LA, and everyone is happy to have him back. Including Walker Buehler, who talked about what Kershaw has meant to him in his career. 

"Playing with Clayton is obviously a super special thing, you look at the list of the greatest guys ever to do it; he's one of them, also one of the best people I've been around. He and I are very opposite in our lives, but the competitive side of him and me, that's been a commonality we've become close over."

Buehler also expressed how excited he was to hear that Kershaw was coming back to LA. 

From his rookie year to now, Walker has noticed that Clayton has visibly expressed his love for the game compared to prime Kershaw. 

The current Dodgers pitching rotation wears their emotions on their sleeves, but no one compares to Kershaw at his peak. You couldn't talk or touch Kershaw on game day and could see that through TV. 

Walker carries that around with him as well, both are competitive, but they show it differently. 

Clayton Kershaw, the future hall of Famer and World Series champion; Buehler recognizes that and doesn't take Kershaw for granted. 

You can see the excitement on Buehler's face when discussing what the southpaw means to him. 

Kershaw is arguably the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time and is on the shortlist for the greatest pitcher of all time. 

We're as happy as Buehler to have Kershaw back in Dodger blue.