Is Clayton Kershaw the best left-handed pitcher of all time?

Los Angeles Dodgers longtime ace Clayton Kershaw announced Thursday, Sept. 18 that the 2025 season will be the last of his 18-year career.

Kershaw was selected by the Dodgers in the first round of the 2006 draft and played his whole career in L.A., where he racked up 222 wins, 3,039 strikeouts, three Cy Young Awards, two World Series titles and the 2014 National League MVP.

But where does the lefty land among the best southpaw starters of all-time? Here are the top 10 left-handed pitchers, by WAR, according to Baseball Reference:

Best left-handed pitchers of all-time, by WAR

1. Lefty Grove

• WAR: 113.2
• Years played: 1925–1941
• Teams: Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox
• Stats: 300 wins, 3.06 ERA, 2,266 strikeouts in 3,940⅔ innings
• Accolades: AL MVP in 1931, won ERA title nine times

2. Randy Johnson

• WAR: 103.5
• Years played: 1988-2009
• Teams: Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants
• Stats: 303 wins, 3.29 ERA, 4,875 strikeouts in 4,135⅓ innings
• Accolades: Five-time Cy Young Award winner, World Series MVP in 2001

3. Warren Spahn

• WAR: 92.6
• Years played: 1942-65
• Teams: Braves, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants
• Stats: 363 wins, 3.09 ERA, 2,583 strikeouts, 5,243⅔ innings
• Accolades: 1957 Cy Young Award winner, 17-time All-Star

4. Eddie Plank

• WAR: 88.0
• Years played: 1901-1917
• Teams: Philadelphia Athletics, St. Louis Browns
• Stats: 326 wins, 2.35 ERA, 2,246 strikeouts, 4,495⅔ innings
• Accolades: Three-time World Series champion.

5. Steve Carlton

• WAR: 84.1
• Years played:
• Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants
• Stats: 329 wins, 3.22 ERA, 4,136 strikeouts, 5,217⅔ innings
• Accolades: Four-time Cy Young Award winner, two-time World Series champion

6. Clayton Kershaw

• WAR: 77.9 (as of Sept. 18, 2025)
• Years played: 2008-2025
• Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers
• Stats: 222 wins, 2.54 ERA, 3,039 strikeouts, 2844⅔ innings
• Accolades: Three-time Cy Young Award winners, 2014 NL MVP, five-time ERA title, two-time World Series champion

7. Tom Glavine

• WAR: 74.0
• Years played: 1987-2008
• Teams: Atlanta Braves, New York Mets
• Stats: 305 wins, 3.54 ERA, 2,607 strikeouts, 4,413⅓ innings
• Accolades: Two-time Cy Young winner, five-time league leader in wins, 10-time All-Star, World Series MVP in 1995

8. Carl Hubbell

• WAR: 68.8
• Years played: 1928-1943
• Teams: New York Giants
• Stats: 253 wins, 2.98 ERA, 1,677 strikeouts, 3,590⅓ innings
• Accolades: NL MVP in 1933 and 1936, nine-time All-Star, three-time ERA title, World Series winner

9. Tommy John

• WAR: 62.1
• Years played: 1963-1989
• Teams: New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland, California Angels, Oakland Athletics
• Stats: 288 wins, 3.34 ERA, 2,245 strikeouts, 4,710⅓ innings
• Accolades: Four-time All-Star, three-time league leader in shutouts

10. CC Sabathia

• WAR: 61.8
• Years played: 2001-2019
• Teams: Cleveland, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees
• Stats: 251 wins, 3.74 ERA, 3,093 strikeouts, 3,577⅓ innings
• Accolades: 2007 Cy Young winner, six-time All-Star, two-time league leader in wins, four-time league leader in shutouts, 2009 ALCS MVP, World Series winner