Rob Manfred actually gets one right with bold Clayton Kershaw decision

Three years ago, Los Angeles Dodgers fans were treated to a number of different storybooks when the 2022 All-Star Game rolled into town.

The legendary Clayton Kershaw earned the start for the National League, edging out a few of his close competitors because of the narrative edge. Both Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera, two absolute legends who transcended the minutiae of the All-Star selection process, made the roster after Rob Manfred said, "To hell with this" and labeled them as commissioner picks.

Three years later, Kershaw is still exceptional. He just ... might not have the durability he used to.

His delayed start to the 2025 season inhibited him from likely consideration for the All-Star team, though his nine starts have been immaculate thus far; 44 2/3 innings and a 3.43 ERA has certainly exceeded the expectations of his doubters. Add on his iconic 3,000th strikeout last week - earned on a slider that gave Vinny Capra freezer burn - and Kershaw's been the early front runner in terms of racking up historic moments.

That was enough for Manfred, who recognized the Dodgers lefty's greatness with his 11th trip to Atlanta, earning the kind of late-career commissioner-forced selection that he's more than earned.

Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw selected to 2025 All-Star Game roster by Rob Manfred

Now, the National League manager has to figure out a way to sneak Kershaw into the game and give the fans the moment Manfred tried to set up with Sunday's maneuver. That'll take some convincing, though, as the NL's skipper is the notoriously thorny ... Dave Roberts. Oh, right.

The 37-year-old Kershaw has been judicious about emptying his bullets as he approaches the end of his career, but he's had enough in the gas tank left to help navigate the Dodgers to the top of the NL West as the rotation has clattered around him.

Roberts almost certainly will cede the starting nod to Paul Skenes of the Pirates, but expect Kershaw to get a nod starting off an inning, allowing the Dodgers' manager to remove his ace to a wave of spotlit applause.