Another notch in Clayton Kershaw's belt

Dodgers star pitcher gets 200th win, joins elite company

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Clayton Kershaw improved his record to 200-88
Clayton Kershaw improved his record to 200-88
Image: Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire (AP)

We already know Clayton Kershaw is headed to Cooperstown, but the Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher just hit a nice milestone en route.

The lefty picked up win No. 200 after tossing seven innings of three-hit ball — while striking out nine — in L.A.’s win over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

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Of the 117 hurlers to win that many games, Kershaw has the best winning percentage (.694), as he’s 200-88 over 402 starts during his 16-year MLB career.

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But the 35-year-old joins an elite club of five pitchers — all Hall of Famers — to have reached that mark before losing 100 games.

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Here they are.

Pete Alexander

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Grover “Pete” Alexander spent 20 years in the bigs, starting in 1911.

He went 373-208, pitching to a 2.56 ERA in more than 5,000 career innings for the Phillies, Cubs, and Cardinals.

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At the time of his 200th win, Alexander had only been charged with 96 losses.

The righty was a three-time pitching Triple Crown winner, a World Series champ, and won the ERA title five times. He won 30 games three times.

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Lefty Grove

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When Grove picked up his 200th win, he had only lost 83 games.

He finished his 17-year career with an even 300 wins and 141 losses.

Grove, a member of MLB’s All-Century team, pitched for the Athletics (then located in Philly) and the Red Sox, earning an MVP Award in 1931.

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The Maryland native was a two-time World Series winner and six-time All-Star.

Whitey Ford

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Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford spent his entire 16-year MLB career in pinstripes.

The Hall of Fame lefty went 236-106 for the New York Yankees, hitting 200 wins with just 79 losses.

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Ford, known as “The Chairman of the Board,” was a six-time World Series winner, a World Series MVP, and a 10-time All-Star who won the Cy Young in 1961.

The Yankees retired the New York native’s No. 16 in 1974.

Juan Marichal

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Marichal was 200-97 at the time of his milestone win. Over his 16-year Hall of Fame career, the righty went 243-149 with a 2.89 ERA. The 10-time All-Star nicknamed “The Dominican Dandy” threw a no-hitter in 1963 and had his No. 27 retired by the San Francisco Giants.

Pedro Martinez

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Pedro “Tip his cap and call the Yankees his daddy” Martinez was also 200-97 at the time of his milestone victory. He won 19 more games — but only recorded three more Ls — to cap off a Hall of Fame 18-year career with the Dodgers, Expos, Red Sox — who retired his No. 45 — Mets, and Phillies. Martinez, one of the best pitchers of his generation, won three Cy Young awards, a World Series title in 2004, and earned eight All-Star nods. He struck out 3,154 batters and pitched to a 2.93 ERA.