"He's the best pitcher of this generation" - Clayton Kershaw ranks above Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, per MLB insider

Clayton Kershaw has had a wonderful career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was selected as the seventh overall pick in the 2006 MLB Draft and has been a foundational piece for the Blue Crew.

Coming into the 2024 season, he has compiled a long list of career accomplishments that could rival many Hall of Fame pitchers. He is a 10-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and a five-time NL ERA leader, among many more.

Andy McCullough, author of "The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness", joined MLB Now to talk about the elite lefty. When asked about Kershaw's legacy, he believes he is the best of this generation:

"I think he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I think he is the best pitcher of this generation, which is not to slight Verlander or Scherzer. I just think if you look at their careers, his is the one that probably stands up the most."

McCullough has huge praise for Kershaw, and for good reason. He has been a dominating force in the league for the last 17 seasons. McCullough said:

"He is the best ever at run prevention. The singular job of a pitcher, not allowing runs to be scored. No one has ever been better at that. Other guys have thrown harder, other guys get more strikeouts, other guys have nastier stuff, but he has the ability to control games."

McCullough points to Kershaw's ability to control games and keep runners from scoring. He holds a career 2.49 ERA, which ranks him 42nd in MLB history.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw is in elite

MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers - Clayton Kershaw (Image via Imagn)

Clayton Kershaw will almost undoubtedly be enshrined in the Hall of Fame when his career comes to an end. He has done many things to stand out ahead of the rest.

For starters, He is the Dodgers' all-time strikeout leader. That is pretty crazy to think about considering the great pitchers that have come through LA like Don Sutton or Sandy Koufax.

Kershaw also ranks second in team history with 210 wins. He is a bit behind Sutton, who compiled 233 wins during his career in LA.

The only knock on his game is his postseason performances. However, his career numbers speak for themselves and he stands well above active pitchers in the league, and he is still going strong.