His longevity and dominance over his career have been a thorn in Manny Machado and the San Diego Padres for many years.

Ahead of the 2025 All-Star Game, players spoke to the media. Machado was asked about Kershaw as the southpaw was the Commissioner’s Pick to be added to the Midsummer Classic.

Machado was a former teammate of Kershaw and the Dodgers in the second half of the 2018 season, when LA lost to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.

“He was the best. It was an honor to play behind him. What a competitor. He’s a Hall of Famer for sure. At his age, what he’s still doing. That’s impressive.”

Machado was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Dodgers ahead of the Trade Deadline in 2018.

Machado had become a star for the Orioles and was quickly talked about as one of the best players in baseball. His trade to LA shook the world, and the Dodgers became National League favorites right away.

The Dodgers fell to the Sox, and Machado then signed with San Diego the following offseason. Since then, Machado and Kershaw have battled many times, but the Dodgers have remained the kings of the NL West and have won two World Series since (2020, 2024).

Machado will continue to battle against the Dodgers for potentially the end of his career. As for Kershaw, the southpaw is nearing the end. He still has juice left in his left arm, but he won’t be able to sustain elite outings in a row for much longer.

The Dodgers’ current rotation is banged up, and they will need Kershaw will perform well for them as he will be needed.

This could be his last shot at being one of the top hurlers for a Dodgers postseason team.