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 always wanted, while his teammates bowed from behind, and the emotions overwhelmed him.

“I’m at a loss for words,” Kershaw said, his voice cracking, in front of 42,448 people who had come to celebrate the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series title. “I had nothing to do with this championship, but I have the best feeling in the world – that I get to celebrate with you!”

The last time the Dodgers won it all in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented them from enjoying most of the pageantry presented to Major League Baseball’s champion, particularly a parade. Kershaw, who had spent his long career chasing a title, was never able to fully enjoy a moment that admittedly lifted a huge weight off his shoulders. When the Dodgers defeated 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 gave its players a chance to celebrate hard.

It probably meant the most to Kershaw, even if a foot injury prevented him from helping.

“I think there was almost a sense of relief in 2020,” 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, honestly, there’s just a lot more luck. I’m just so happy to finally be able to celebrate. This.” The parade was for this season and I feel like this season was unique in itself and we will celebrate accordingly in 2020 – it’s been a long time coming to finally be able to do it – I think the setup honestly made it even sweeter.”

Seven double-decker buses carrying players, family members, coaches and front office staff 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 turned off and headed to Dodger Stadium around 12:30 p.m. PT. Ice Cube, who opened 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 and then introduced some of his key players.

Walker Buehler, who was taping the finale, wore Orel Hershiser’s gray away jersey from the 1988 World Series and shouted profanities into the microphone. Kiké Hernández, in many ways the team’s spiritual leader, stirred the crowd by encouraging them to shout, “We don’t give a fuck,” during an on-field interview after a pennant win, a reference to his victory line. Shohei Ohtani navigated the parade with his dog Decoy in tow, then spoke English on stage.

“This is very special to me,” Ohtani told the crowd. “I am so honored to be here and to be part of this team. Congratulations, Los Angeles. Thank you, fans!”

One of the biggest cheers went to Freddie Freeman, who battled through a litany of injuries in October to ultimately be named 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 rib cartilage fracture he suffered the night before the National League Division Series had.

Roberts said the team “came out of the woods” with Freeman’s rib problem in the break between the end of the NL Championship Series and the start of the World Series and helped Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam in the game Kirk Gibson to start 1.

“But he wasn’t anywhere near 100 percent,” Roberts added.

Of course, neither was Kershaw.

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 resulted in further discomfort, forcing him out of the season’s long run.

On Wednesday, Kershaw said he will undergo surgery to repair his left foot – including to address a bone spur and broken plantar plate – as well as another procedure to repair a meniscus problem in his left knee.

At some point in the next few days, Kershaw will either exercise his 2025 player option or sign a new contract to return to 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 ten All-Star teams, became the all-time leader in strikeouts and collected the second-most wins. But he was consistently one of the star-studded Dodgers teams that narrowly failed in the playoffs and, whether justified or not, took the blame for much of it.

The 2020 championship brought him vindication.

The 2024 championship let him celebrate properly.

“I knew it would be a special day, but it was a little more emotional than I expected,” Kershaw said. “It’s a day I will definitely never forget. You know, baseball is just a game. Everyone says that. But I don’t know, man. When you look around, you see how much it means to so many different people. “It may be baseball, but it means a lot to a lot of different people.