Dodgers Ace Clayton Kershaw Is Also Incredible At Pop-A-Shot

Athletes around the country are biding their time as they wait for their respective sports leagues to return from hiatus amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

With team facilities closing, most are forced to stay busy and get workouts in at home, which is easier for some (particularly vets with expansive home gyms) and tougher for others (like young players living in apartment complexes). Former Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw certainly falls into the former category, but his home gym features something likely not in the Dodgers facility: a legit, arcade style, Pop-A-Shot machine.

On Wednesday, Kershaw’s wife posted a video of the Dodgers ace on his grind in the gym, showing off some incredible form at Pop-A-Shot, sinking shot after shot in a challenge issued to teammate Joc Pederson.

First, I know there’s a full gym there and he was probably just working out, but I prefer to believe he worked up a strong sweat from 30 minutes of non-stop Pop-A-Shot. Second, let’s talk about Kershaw’s terrific form. He’s an absolute machine, rocking the necessary one-hand approach while letting his off-hand search for basketballs to reload. He’s got a great touch, flicking the wrist just enough to fire shots into the hoop and by keeping his shooting hand in the pocket most of the time rather than reaching for basketballs constantly he is able to maintain a rhythm.

He’s not amateur here, as evidenced by the 145 high score on his home machine. To get that score, even on a machine that gives you 45 seconds instead of 30, requires serious skill and practice to dial in that little push shot that he has. Dodgers fans shouldn’t worry about his arm strength coming into the season whenever that is, because anyone that’s grinded on the Pop-A-Shot machine at the arcade will tell you it’s a helluva shoulder workout.