Ace Clayton Kershaw is staying with the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to multiple reports, the two sides are in agreement on a one-year deal that also has a player option for the 2025 season.
Reportedly, Kershaw will undergo his physical in the coming days, after which the deal will become official. This will ensure that the 36-year-old player remains with the only franchise he knew since being selected seventh overall in the 2006 MLB draft by the Dodgers.
Kershaw is coming off a strong campaign in 2023, going 13–5 with a 2.46 ERA and 137 strikeouts. After the season wrapped up, Kershaw underwent shoulder surgery, which is expected to keep him out for the first part of 2024.
While Kershaw expressed interest in continuing to play, his return to the Dodgers wasn’t always certain. He played on short-term deals in the past couple of years, and there was a possibility he might suit up for his hometown team, the Texas Rangers. However, the Dodgers didn’t allow this to happen, and it appears that Kershaw will retire as a one-franchise player.
If Kershaw picks up his option for 2025, the Dodgers could have a fearsome rotation that would also include two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani, Japanese standout pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and veteran righty Tyler Glasnow.
