Moments before Clayton Kershaw caught Vinny Capra looking and recorded his 3,000th career strikeout, Chicago White Sox outfielder Michael A. Taylor was caught trying to steal third base.
Taylor had just doubled down the line and nearly chased Kershaw from the game. The White Sox were looking to add an insurance run with a 4-2 lead in the 6th inning, but Taylor got thrown out by Dodgers catcher Will Smith.
Michael A. Taylor and Max Muncy both injured
When Taylor slid into third base, he and Dodgers infielder Max Muncy both went down with an injury. Taylor was removed from the game with a "left trap contusion" and was ruled day-to-day.
Muncy was helped off the field with a left knee injury. An MRI revealed no structural damage, but he is still expected to miss about six weeks.
It was just one of those baseball plays that happen from time to time. There was nothing dirty about Taylor's slide or Muncy's positioning on the bag. Both players were putting it on the line for their respective teams and came away injured.
Nobody really thought much of it. Kershaw proceeded to punch out Vinny Capra and record his historic 3,000th career strikeout. The Dodgers then staged a 9th inning comeback to win the game and everybody had moved on.
But after the game. Clayton Kershaw called out the White Sox...and Chicago did absolutely nothing wrong.
Kershaw calls out the White Sox
In a postgame press conference, Kershaw threw shade at the White Sox for attempting to steal third base with Michael A. Taylor.
He said that it “seemed unnecessary" after being asked about Muncy's injury.
Clayton Kershaw in his postgame presser on SNLA said he didn’t know why the White Sox runner attempted to steal third base on the play that injured Max Muncy and said it “seemed unnecessary”
— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) July 3, 2025
What exactly were the White Sox supposed to do? Not try to win the game? Not try to add an important insurance run that they clearly needed?
Kershaw is acting like Chicago was supposed to roll over and let him make history without trying to score runs. It's just a ridiculous thing to be upset about. Michael A. Taylor and the White Sox did absolutely nothing wrong.
Sure, it sucks that his teammate got hurt. But that's baseball, and after becoming the 20th player in Major League Baseball history to record 3,000 career strikeouts while watching his team win in walk-off fashion, I'm not sure why Kershaw is set on acting like a sore loser.