Clayton Kershaw (37), who traveled to Japan with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a personal expense, was very satisfied. He experienced the stature of Shohei Ohtani (31) firsthand and had a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Kershaw shared his impressions of Japan after visiting the broadcast booth of 'SportsNet LA,' the Dodgers' dedicated broadcasting partner, that was covering the opening game of the 2025 MLB World Tour Tokyo Series between the Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs held at the Tokyo Dome on April 18th (Korea time).

Kershaw, who joined the broadcast team from the start of the 3rd inning until the end, laughed while saying about the time spent in Japan, "It was really fun. A wonderful experience and a once-in-a-lifetime experience," adding, "The team dinner was really great. It was a gathering of the whole team and the best dinner I have attended so far. I saw a tuna being dissected right in front of me, and it was really amazing."

Kershaw, who underwent surgery on his left knee and big toe in November and is currently in rehabilitation, did not make the Dodgers' Tokyo Series 31-man roster but visited Japan with his family at his own expense. A year ago, he stayed in Arizona instead of accompanying the team to South Korea for the Seoul Series due to shoulder pain, but this year he made a different choice.

"How often will I have the chance to go to Japan with Ohtani?" Kershaw noted, calling it a choice without regrets. The highlight was a dinner arranged by Ohtani, along with Japanese players Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, which cost about 20 million won. Local artisans were invited to prepare high-end dishes such as tuna sashimi, sushi, and yakitori, with a performance of disassembling a 177 kg tuna leaving unforgettable memories for Kershaw and the Dodgers players.

On a holiday, Kershaw took a trip to Kyoto by Shinkansen with his family and was also surprised by various advertisements featuring Ohtani throughout Japan. He said, "Ohtani is the best baseball player, and everyone knows he is very famous in Japan. However, there are things you cannot know unless you come and experience it yourself. All the billboards are covered with Ohtani's pictures. It was an amazing experience," and shared that he truly felt Ohtani's influence within Japan.

Kershaw, who pitched 5 innings allowing 1 run as the starter in the opening game, praised Japanese pitcher Yamamoto. He said, "Yamamoto throws the most efficient and beautiful form I've ever seen. His form during catch and long toss is the same on the mound. I told my 8-year-old son Charlie to watch him pitch. It’s the most ideal pitching posture and body usage," he evaluated highly.

Kershaw, who often catches with Yamamoto, stated, "Yamamoto is really fun. He loves to socialize. I think he feels much more comfortable than last year when he had to learn everything in a new country while pitching," adding, "I really like Yamamoto. We joke around together in the clubhouse and have a good time."

While in Japan, Kershaw also handled the official NPB baseball and commented, "It is definitely smaller and feels a bit stickier than the American baseball. It's a good ball for a pitcher to throw." He described the atmosphere of a Japanese baseball stadium, where a moment of silence falls at the moment the pitcher throws the ball, as "feeling like being at a golf tournament."

Meanwhile, Kershaw was placed on the 60-day injured list as of April 19th. Before their second opening game, the Dodgers sent left-handed pitcher Justin Lobbleski to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers through a minor option and called up right-handed pitcher Matt Sauer, moving Kershaw to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster. Kershaw is eligible to return to the major leagues no earlier than May 18th.

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