Sep 28, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) pitches to the Seattle Mariners during the third inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers veteran Clayton Kershaw is one of the most memorable pitchers of his generation, but we won't see him pitch in the first round.

Kershaw, who missed the postseason last season due to injury, recorded the 3,000th strikeout of his MLB career earlier this season. He then revealed that he would retire from baseball when the season concluded.

Los Angeles made the postseason and will face the Cincinnati Reds for a best-of-three series for the National League Wild Card at Dodger Stadium. While he is still healthy, however, don't expect to see Kershaw to take the mound.

The 11-time MLB All-Star and three-time National League Cy Young Award winner was not included on the 26-man roster for the series, per manager Dave Roberts.

Kershaw pitched in the final game of the MLB season against the Seattle Mariners, throwing 94 pitches, so he wouldn't be able to return to start on his normal rest during the duration of the short series against the Reds.

He is ineligible to play at all against Cincinnati and is not even on the roster.

Will Clayton Kershaw pitch again this season?

That much is unclear!

If the Dodgers are eliminated by the Reds, then Kershaw's career will sadly end.

But should they advance, Roberts could decide to throw him in the National League Division Series.

“I hope to be a part of it,” said Kershaw, via The Athletic.

Is Clayton Kershaw a starter or a reliever in the playoffs?

If he is added back to the 26-man roster for the next round of the postseason, don't expect to see Kershaw serve as a starter.

Kershaw is unexpected to make the rotation but could serve as a reliever out of the bullpen, which is a role he has had in the postseason before (via The Athletic):

“Relieving is just a different animal altogether,” Kershaw said. “I can do the math. So if I want to be a part of it in any way, I’ll do whatever they want.”

Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yanamoto, and Shohei Ohtani (if necessary) will take the mound in the first round of the series.

Ohtani would start the first game of the series in the NLDS if the Dodgers advance in two games, then Tyler Glasnow would follow him.

Kershaw could join other capable starters including Rōki Sasaki and Emmet Sheehan as possible relievers in the bullpen.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why isn't Clayton Kershaw pitching against the Reds in the playoffs?

Reporting by Bryan Kalbrosky, For The Win / For The Win

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