'We're here to win': Clayton Kershaw responds to getting pulled in the 7th inning while pitching a perfect game

Los Angels Dodgers star pitcher Clayton Kershaw was pulled from today’s game against the Minnesota Twins in the 7th inning despite being in the midst of throwing a perfect game;

Clayton Kershaw was perfect through 7 innings on 80 pitches.

The Dodgers elected to pull him from the game ending his chance at just the 24th perfect game in MLB history. pic.twitter.com/6m14BfPATw

— ESPN (@espn) April 13, 2022

Here’s the moment it happened:

Clayton Kershaw exits the game after 7 Perfect innings and 13 Strikeouts on 80 pitches pic.twitter.com/KuCHXOD9Ck

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 13, 2022

And for some context, if you’re not following MLB right now:

Kershaw is coming off an arm injury, after a shortened spring training, and was pitching in 38 degree weather. I can’t believe *I’m* telling people to calm down.

— Molly Knight (@molly_knight) April 13, 2022

Fans, as you might imagine, were pissed:

Clayton Kershaw was pulled from the Dodgers game on Wednesday despite being perfect through seven innings … and fans are pissed about it. https://t.co/to24bH1Q6D

— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) April 13, 2022

Twitchy regular Aaron Rupar was at the game and caught some of the booing on video:

Nope. Twins just got a hit. I’m in the Dodgers sections and fans are loudly jeering Dave Roberts for lifting Kershaw. pic.twitter.com/0tWRRhaOUm

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 13, 2022

Yankees legend Reggie Jackson was quite miffed at the move. Jackson tweeted, “Clayton Kershaw Perfect game 80 pitches, take him OUT !!!!! WHAT THE! what’s the game coming to?1 of the era’s best, and you take him out with a perfect game in the 7th, 7-0 Dodgers winning. Take him OUT! THIS IS BASEBALL PLEASE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER PLAYED GET OUT OF ITS WAY”:

Clayton Kershaw Perfect game 80 pitches, take him OUT !!!!! WHAT THE! what’s the game coming to?1 of the era’s best, and you take him out with a perfect game in the 7th, 7-0 Dodgers winning. Take him OUT! THIS IS BASEBALL PLEASE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEVER PLAYED GET OUT OF ITS WAY

— Reggie Jackson (@mroctober) April 13, 2022

As were many other blue-checks on Twitter. Some examples:

What the Dodgers staff did to Kershaw should be a crime

— Grant Addison (@jgrantaddison) April 13, 2022

If it's a no-hitter, whatever. Yank him. Clayton Kershaw has thrown one.

But there have been more than 220,000 games in MLB history. There have been 23 perfect games.

Everything — especially a pitch count of 80 — is lining up to at least let Kershaw try. You cannot pull him.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 13, 2022

We have to get fans back. We have to entertain our fans. We have to keep fans first in our minds. OK, then definitely let’s pull Clayton Kershaw from a perfect game through 7 innings and 80 pitches. #Ridiculous

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) April 13, 2022

But do you know who doesn’t seem the least bit angry about it all? Clayton Kershaw, that’s who.

He said after the game, “Those are individual things. Those are selfish goals. We’re trying to win, that’s really all we’re here for. As much as I would have wanted to do it, I’ve thrown 75 pitches in a sim game. I hadn’t gone 6 innings, let alone 7”:

Clayton Kershaw to @kirsten_watson on @SportsNetLA “Those are individual things. Those are selfish goals. We’re trying to win, that’s really all we’re here fot. As much as I would have wanted to do it, I’ve thrown 75 pitches in a sim game. I hadn’t gone 6 innings, let alone 7."

— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) April 13, 2022

And he said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made “the right choice”:

More Kershaw: "I knew going in my pitch count wasn't going to be 100 let alone 90. It's a hard thing to do, coming out of a game like that, but like I said, we're here to win, and this is the right choice."

— Jon Weisman (@jonweisman) April 13, 2022

What a great answer. . .

One of the greatest performances from one of the greatest pitchers ever

What a day for Clayton Kershaw

7 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 13 K pic.twitter.com/jvgmGtDxGp

— Blake Harris (@BlakeHarrisTBLA) April 13, 2022

. . . and a great outing: