LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw 's pregame routine is famously intense and unwavering. Those who frequent Dodger Stadium, where it unfolded 227 times over the course of these past 18 years, know it almost by heart, many of them able to identify the minute he'll walk toward the left-field line, jog out to center, stretch and play catch. But on Friday, in his 228th and final regular-season home start, something about it looked different. At one point Kershaw just sat on the grass , his arms resting on his knees, and looked around. His eyes welled up, almost as if the moment was hitting him.

"I take a couple minutes just to sit and try to breathe and, not take it in but just kind of focus a little bit," Kershaw said. "Obviously a little bit harder tonight, a little bit harder to do that.

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