Clayton Kershaw is superb in joining 200-win club as Dodgers blank Mets

“There’s been a lot of pitchers that have pitched well but maybe don’t have the team behind them,” Kershaw said. “Just reflecting on that, and just thankful for being part of great teams, that’s what wins signify to me.”

That’s why the Dodgers’ 5-0 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium carried so much extra meaning for the 35-year-old left-hander, who picked up his 200th career win in dominant style and historic fashion.

Not only did Kershaw become the 117th major league pitcher to reach the 200-victory club, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, but he got there with a higher career winning percentage (.694) than any other member, improving his career regular-season record to 200-88.

The big milestones on tap in ‘23—and whether they’ll happen

Miguel Cabrera: 15th all-time in hits

Last year, Cabrera became the 33rd member of the 3,000-hit club, and now, there’s still more climbing to do. He enters the year with 3,088 hits, which ranks 24th all-time. Here are the next nine ahead of him, according to the Elias Sports Bureau:

Cal Ripken Jr.: 3,184
Adrian Beltre: 3,166
George Brett: 3,154
Paul Waner: 3,152
Robin Yount: 3,142
Tony Gwynn: 3,141
Alex Rodriguez: 3,115
Dave Winfield: 3,110
Ichiro Suzuki: 3,089
Will it happen?

Cabrera should certainly move up this list over the course of the season, especially considering he’s just a hit shy of Ichiro. He had 101 hits last year, which would put him just ahead of Ripken, so 15th seems like a realistic target.

Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers agree to deal

It’s official.

Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers wasted no time cementing that the likely Hall of Famer will return for a 16th season, agreeing to a deal early in November. The two sides made the one-year deal—which pays Kershaw a $15 million salary in 2023, plus a $5 million signing bonus—official on Monday.