Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:51pm

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It appears that the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal matchup between Team USA and Canada on Friday will mark the end of Clayton Kershaw’s legendary baseball career. Team USA manager Mark DeRosa announced that Twins right-hander Joe Ryan will replace Kershaw on the roster if the Americans advance past the quarterfinals, wrapping up Kershaw’s 18-season MLB career.

Why it matters

Kershaw is a three-time Cy Young Award winner and one of the most dominant pitchers of his era. His potential final appearance with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic would be a fitting end to his storied career, even if he doesn’t end up taking the mound.

The details

Ryan was originally left off the Team USA roster due to back inflammation earlier in Spring Training, but he made his spring debut on Tuesday, throwing three scoreless innings against the Rays. It remains unclear if Ryan will actually pitch for the Americans, as he is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday which may rule him out of consideration for the semifinal game the following day. As for Kershaw, DeRosa said there’s no guarantee the lefty will even get into a game for Team USA, with 10 relievers ready to go.

Team USA faces Canada in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals on Friday, March 15, 2026.If Team USA advances, Joe Ryan will replace Clayton Kershaw on the roster.Kershaw retired from MLB following the 2025 season after 18 seasons with the Dodgers.
The players

Clayton Kershaw

A three-time Cy Young Award winner and one of the most dominant pitchers of his era, Kershaw is closing out his legendary 18-season MLB career with a potential final appearance for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

Joe Ryan

The Minnesota Twins right-hander was originally left off the Team USA roster due to back inflammation, but he made his spring debut on Tuesday and is slated to potentially replace Kershaw on the roster if the Americans advance past the quarterfinals.

Mark DeRosa

The manager of Team USA, DeRosa announced that Joe Ryan will replace Clayton Kershaw on the roster if the team advances past the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic.

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What they’re saying

“I would love to get Clayton a little run, but it’s win or go home. We’ll see. I’ve got 10 relievers in there that are raring to go. So I think that would be a long shot, but we’ll see.”

— Mark DeRosa, Team USA Manager (mlb.com)

What’s next

If Team USA advances past the quarterfinals, Joe Ryan will replace Clayton Kershaw on the roster. It remains unclear if Kershaw will actually pitch in the tournament, as DeRosa said there’s no guarantee he’ll get into a game.

The takeaway

The potential final appearance of Clayton Kershaw’s legendary career with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic would be a fitting end to one of the greatest pitching careers of his era, even if he doesn’t end up taking the mound.