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Former Dodgers Star Sends 6-Word Message After Clayton Kershaw’s 3000th Strikeout

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jake Elman | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 7:42 AM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers great Clayton Kershaw is officially in the history books, and former teammate Austin Barnes couldn't be any happier.

Kershaw became the 20th pitcher in baseball history to record 3,000 strikeouts, securing his spot with a sixth-inning punchout of Chicago White Sox third baseman Vinny Capra. The three-time NL Cy Young winner finished with three strikeouts in six innings.

Unfortunately for Barnes, he wasn't the man behind the plate catching Kershaw's historic feat. Barnes joined the rival San Francisco Giants this month after 11 seasons and two titles with the Dodgers.

"3K for my brother! crazy accomplishment," Barnes wrote on Instagram.

Barnes hit .223 with 35 homers and a .660 OPS over 612 plate appearances with the Dodgers. He became a fan favorite despite his lack of hitting and relatively sparse playing time—Barnes hadn't played more than 77 games in a season since 2018—in recent years.

The White Sox also honored Kershaw on social media, even if it meant ignoring the final score.

"FINAL: Congratulations to Clayton Kershaw on 3,000 career strikeouts," the club wrote on X/Twitter instead of posting about the Dodgers' 5-4 victory.

We'll see how many more highlights the 37-year-old Kershaw has left in him. He owns a 3.43 ERA and 32-14 K-BB ratio in 44 2 /3 innings for the first-place Dodgers.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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