Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts as he leaves the mound at the end of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on September 23, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Clayton Kershaw is as synonymous with the Los Angeles Dodgers as Sandy Koufax or Tommy Lasorda.
Thankfully, that connection is not expected to change any time soon.
Kershaw, the future Hall-of-Fame left-hander will grace the mound once again in a Dodgers uniform.
According to the NY Post's Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman, Kershaw and the Dodgers have come to an agreement on a contract for the 2024 season, with a player's option for 2025.
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The deal is not official yet, and is pending a physical, which is expected to take place on Thursday, That's the day that the Dodgers open spring training and pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report.
The date is important for several reasons. Firstly, the Dodgers are starting their spring training a week early then everyone else in MLB (with the exception of the Padres), because both teams are headed to South Korea to open the season on March 20th.
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That means that the Dodgers can officially move injured players to the 60-day IL starting on Thursday, February 8th, a full week ahead of the other 28 teams in MLB.
By moving injured players to the 60-day IL, it opens up a roster spot on the 40-man roster for the Dodgers to sign players.
Kershaw is one of those players that will likely be moved to the 60-day injured list once the deal becomes official on Thursday. Kershaw underwent surgery on his left shoulder in the offseason and is not expected to be available to pitch until sometime this summer.
The Dodgers 40-man roster is currently full, even after the recent trade of relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson to the New York Yankees.
Other candidates who could be moved to the 60-day IL on Thursday are starting pitchers Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, both of whom underwent Tommy John surgery last year.
Once all those moves are made, players like Ryan Brasier, who reportedly also agreed to re-join the Dodgers recently, will be officially added to the 40-man roster.
Once Kershaw does take the mound again in 2024, it will be his 17th season, a franchise record for a pitcher, and tied for the second longest for any player in Dodgers' history behind position players Zack Wheat and Bill Rusell who each played 18 seasons in blue.
Kershaw will look to avenge his last appearance on the mound with the Dodgers, when the legendary pitcher was hammered by the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw surrendered six runs on six hits, recording just one out in the shortest outing of his professional career.
The triumphs and tribulations of last season will just motivate the three-time Cy Young Award winner has he seeks his second World Series title in 2024.
Kershaw is also chasing history as well. He is just 193 strikeouts shy of 3,000 for his career, and find himself 23 wins shy of the Dodgers' all-time franchise record for wins, set by Don Sutton with 233. Both marks could be eclipsed this year, but likely won't happen until 2025, should he decide to return to the Dodgers.
A former MVP, and 10-time All-Star, Kershaw is considered one of the greatest pitchers of his generation and a true titan of the sport. The Southpaw's resume reads like a 17th century symphony, orchestrated by the maestro himself.
Kershaw's lifetime ERA is 2.48, the lowest career mark by any pitcher (minimum 1,500 innings pitched) since 1969.
In his prime, Kershaw's dominance was nothing short of legendary. From 2011 to 2017, a seven-year odyssey, that saw him ascend to the pantheon of pitchers, only to be haunted by postseason demons. During that span, Kershaw won his three Cy Young Awards and an MVP crown in 2014. His ERA was a paltry 2.10 and his WHIP was 0.91, a wizard by any standards.
In recent years, injuries have plagued Kershaw, and whispered doubts about his longevity. His velocity has waned, and his ERA has risen slightly, but since 2018, despite not being as dominant as the previous six years, he's still been sensational.
Kershaw now readies himself for another chapter in Dodger Blue in 2024, and possibly beyond.
