LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw approached the podium on a blue, circular stage set up in center field at Dodger Stadium on Friday, after the downtown parade he'd always wanted, with his teammates bowing from behind, and the emotions hit him.
"I'm at a loss for words," Kershaw, his voice cracking, told a crowd of 42,448 people who showed up to celebrate the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series title. "I didn't have anything to do with this championship, but it feels like I have the best feeling in the world -- that I get to celebrate with you guys!"
When the Dodgers last won it all, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented them from enjoying most of the pageantry presented to Major League Baseball's champion, most notably a parade. Kershaw, who had spent his prolonged career chasing a title, never got to fully enjoy a moment that admittedly lifted a massive burden off his shoulders.
When the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night, it gave the franchise its first full-season championship since 1988 and provided its players with an opportunity to fully celebrate.
It probably meant most to Kershaw, even if a foot injury prevented him from helping.
"I think in 2020 there was like a sense of relief almost," Kershaw said. "And this one, especially because my role is pretty limited, just to be able to sit back and enjoy it, you know? I think there's just a lot more happiness, honestly. Just so happy to be able to celebrate finally. That parade was for this season, and I feel that this season was unique in its own, and we're going to celebrate accordingly. But 2020 too -- it's a long time coming. We had a long time coming for this parade. So to be able to finally do it -- I think the buildup made it even sweeter, honestly."
Seven double-decker buses carrying players, family members, coaches and front office personnel took a 1.2-mile route from Gloria Molina Grand Park near City Hall down 1st Street and then Grand Avenue before turning left at 5th Street and making their way to Dodger Stadium at around 12:30 p.m. PT. Ice Cube, who famously kicked off Game 2 of the World Series last week, greeted them with a rendition of his iconic song "It Was a Good Day." Dodgers manager Dave Roberts danced alongside him then went about introducing some of his key players.
Walker Buehler, who recorded the final out, wore Orel Hershiser's gray road jersey from the 1988 World Series and yelled expletives into the microphone. Kiké Hernández, in many ways the team's spiritual leader, stirred the crowd by prompting them to yell "we don't give a f---," a reference to his line during an on-field, postgame interview after a pennant-clinching victory. Shohei Ohtani navigated the parade with his dog, Decoy, in tow then spoke in English from the stage.
"This is so special for me," Ohtani told the crowd. "I'm so honored to be here and to be part of this team. Congratulations, Los Angeles. Thank you, fans!"
Some of the biggest cheers went to Freddie Freeman, who willed his way through a litany of injuries in October and ultimately won World Series MVP. Roberts introduced Freeman as someone who "played with one leg and one rib," a reference to his sprained right ankle and, as ESPN reported Thursday, the broken costal cartilage he sustained the night before the National League Division Series.
Roberts said the team "got out of the woods" with Freeman's rib issue in the time off between the end of the NL Championship Series and the start of the World Series, helping Freeman launch a Kirk Gibson-style walk-off grand slam in Game 1.
"But he wasn't nearly close to 100 percent," Roberts added.
Neither was Kershaw, of course.
The 36-year-old left-hander underwent shoulder surgery last offseason and didn't make his 2024 debut until late July. Then in his seventh start, he aggravated a long-standing toe injury. Attempts to return for the postseason only led to other ailments, forcing him out for the stretch run of the season.
On Wednesday, Kershaw said, he will undergo surgery to fix his left foot -- to address a bone spur and a ruptured plantar plate, among other issues -- and another procedure to remedy a meniscus issue in his left knee.
At some point over these next few days, Kershaw will either exercise his player option for 2025 or sign a new contract to return for his 18th season with the Dodgers.
For 17 years, Kershaw established himself as one of the most monumental figures in the franchise's illustrious history. He won three Cy Young Awards and an MVP, made 10 All-Star teams, became the all-time leader in strikeouts and accumulated the second-most wins. But he was continually part of star-studded Dodgers teams that came up short in the playoffs and, fairly or not, shouldered the blame for much of it.
The 2020 championship brought him vindication.
The 2024 championship allowed him to properly celebrate.
"I knew it was going to be a special day, all the stuff, but it was a little bit more emotional than I expected," Kershaw said. "It's a day that I'll definitely never forget. You know, baseball is just a game. Everybody says that. But I don't know, man. You look around and you see how much it means to so many different people. It might be baseball, but it means a lot to a lot of different people. I'm no different."