Dodgers Rumors: MLB Insider Provides Latest Update on Clayton Kershaw Free Agency

Maren Angus-Coombs | 19 Hours Ago

Nov 1, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) lifts the Commissioner's Trophy during the team's 2024 World Series celebration at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Clayton Kershaw is still a free agent but that doesn't mean he's going anywhere.

Major League Baseball insider Jon Morosi of MLB Network recently reported an update regarding the veteran lefty and it is good news for the Dodgers.

"I think we all believe that assuming he comes back, and again, we expect that he will be a Dodger for life," Morosi said. "There is no open market about different teams calling, really, for Clayton Kershaw. No. 22 is gonna finish his career with the Dodgers."

"We all believe he will be a Dodger for life... #22 is going to finish his career with the Dodgers."

- @jonmorosi on Clayton Kershaw's free agency pic.twitter.com/DeZXnJAD4a

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 3, 2025

Morosi emphasized that Clayton Kershaw didn’t undergo knee and toe surgeries this fall just to stay off the field. At 36, Kershaw reportedly had these procedures with the intention of making a return to the mound. Additionally, he’s now 14 months removed from shoulder surgery, which appears to have fully healed.

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Kershaw declined his $10 million player option for 2025 back in November, entering free agency for the fourth straight offseason. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have seen both Walker Buehler depart in free agency, and he'll likely be followed soon by Jack Flaherty. In response, they’ve bolstered their rotation by signing two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and remain in pursuit of Japanese ace Roki Sasaki.

Kershaw is doing whatever it takes to fully recover from his surgeries to make an impact on the 2025 team. He doesn't want to be watching the Dodgers win another World Series from the sidelines.

The 2024 season didn't live up to Kershaw's standards. He posted career-low numbers across the board. In seven starts, he recorded a 2-2 record with a 4.50 ERA, 1.500 WHIP, 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings, and a -0.3 WAR.

Much of the decline came during his final two appearances in August, which derailed an otherwise solid start. Prior to those outings, Kershaw had been performing well, with a 2.63 ERA, 1.250 WHIP, and 0.3 WAR.

One bad season doesn't derail a career's worth of work and Kershaw’s career numbers are nothing short of remarkable. He holds a 212-94 record with a 2.50 ERA, 1.010 WHIP, and a 76.5 WAR. With 2,968 strikeouts, he’s just 32 away from becoming the 20th player in MLB history to reach the 3,000-strikeout milestone.

Despite being in the later stages of his career, Kershaw’s prime isn’t too far behind. He earned All-Star selections in both 2022 and 2023, showcasing his dominance. Over those two seasons, he compiled a 25-8 record with a 2.37 ERA, 1.004 WHIP, 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings, and a 7.3 WAR across 46 starts.

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