Clayton Kershaw has hilarious response to WBC question about Shohei Ohtani

Remember that epic matchup between Shohei Ohtani (the pitcher) and Mike Trout that decided the fate of the 2023 World Baseball Classic final? The then-Los Angeles Angels teammates were arguably the best players in the sport, with Ohtani emerging triumphant in a thrilling at-bat that went to a full count.

Ohtani, now a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is positioned to lead Team Japan once again as they look to defend their 2023 title. Team USA, meanwhile, will likely not feature Trout this time around (but they're still absolutely loaded).

The pitching staff for the United States, in particular, is simply unfair. Joe Ryan, Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, and Logan Webb highlight the list of arms on the roster, which doesn't even include all-universe closer Mason Miller, top prospect Nolan McLean, and ... Clayton Kershaw?

Yes, the 11-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner who retired at the conclusion of the 2025 season is returning to the mound to pitch for his country in the WBC, and it may well be the final chance Dodgers fans have to see him pitch.

That being said, Kershaw likely won't get too much work with such a ridiculous crop of pitchers ahead of him on the USA's depth chart. According to the legendary southpaw, that's probably a good thing, particularly if it keeps him away from one of his former teammates.

Clayton Kershaw has no interest in facing Shohei Ohtani in 2026 WBC

"I think something will have gone terribly wrong if I have to pitch against Team Japan in the finals or something," Kershaw said. "I think we've got plenty of guys to get [Ohtani] out and not me. If that happens, I'll be nervous."

For those that remember, Kershaw nearly had to come into Game 7 of the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays as extra innings persisted. Thanks to a heroic effort from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, that proved not to be necessary, but a far-fetched possibility at the beginning of the series suddenly became a near-reality thanks to circumstance.

For those hoping for a Dodgers legend matchup in the 2026 WBC, that's pretty much the only way it's going to happen. Though it'd be a wildly fun redux of the Trout-Ohtani matchup, only this time with Ohtani in the batter's box and Kershaw on the mound, it's unlikely that No. 22 will have to face the four-time MVP at any point.

That being said, the one area of weakness on the roster is left-handed pitching, where Skubal, Matthew Boyd, Gabe Speier, and Garrett Cleavinger are the only options besides Kershaw. If matchups come into play ... who knows?