Clayton Kershaw retired from MLB last year and later announced he would be fully available for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. However, even though he stayed with the team, he still hasn’t pitched in the tournament. Fans were expecting him to take the mound against Canada in the quarterfinals, which would likely have been his final appearance in the WBC, but that never happened.

Still, that didn’t mean Kershaw stepped away from being his usual self. Instead, he found a way to enjoy the moment from the bullpen. With a beer in hand, he watched the game unfold as Team USA secured a 5–3 win over Canada.

“Kershaw getting a cold one,” FOX Sports shared via X.

Clayton Kershaw was in the bullpen for Team USA during the quarterfinals, but the night really belonged to Logan Webb. The American pitcher delivered a strong outing, throwing 4⅔ shutout innings with five SOs and just one walk as the U.S. beat Team Canada 5–3 to reach the semifinals.

So, because Webb was cruising, manager Mark DeRosa never needed to call on Kershaw. That meant the veteran left-hander’s run in the World Baseball Classic ended without him throwing a single pitch.

Still, Kershaw didn’t let that stop him from enjoying the moment. At one point during the game, the camera caught Kershaw watching from the bullpen before suddenly heading toward the dugout door. The reason? To grab a cold beer and settle back in to enjoy the rest of the game. Well, if you’re going to watch as a fan, you might as well make it fun.

Nevertheless, now that Team USA has moved on to the semifinals, Kershaw’s professional baseball journey officially comes to a close. For the next round, the team will bring in Joe Ryan, the starter from the Twins, as his replacement.

So for fans who were hoping to see the pitcher who reached 3,000 career strikeouts take the mound one more time after last year, it ended up being a moment that never quite came.

Clayton Kershaw’s stint with Team USA remained ceremonial

Clayton Kershaw was one of the few elite arms available to Team USA for the entire WBC, since he didn’t have any MLB obligations at the time. Still, he never actually took the mound. And that made us question if his inclusion was more symbolic than strategic?

Well, it almost felt like a ceremonial move, bringing Kershaw along for one last run representing his country. Imagine the storyline: a just-retired veteran pitcher stepping up for Team USA, and serving as a mentor to younger stars like Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal. From a narrative and PR standpoint, it’s undeniably appealing.

Then there was the game against Italy. Manager Mark DeRosa seemed to approach it a bit casually, likely assuming Team USA had already done enough to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. So, in what was essentially a low-stakes game, it looked like the perfect opportunity to give Kershaw a moment on the field. But even then, he didn’t pitch.

Hence, now that Kershaw’s WBC chapter is closed, the lingering question remains: why bring Clayton Kershaw onto the roster in the first place if he was never going to be used?