Clayton Kershaw is back with the Los Angeles Dodgers for his 18th season after signing a new one-year, $7.5 million contract earlier in Spring Training.
But for a second year in a row, Kershaw is starting the season on the injured list as he works his way back from offseason surgery. Staying healthy has been a challenge for Kershaw these past four seasons, as injuries have limited him to an average of roughly 19 starts per year. For comparison, he averaged around 32 starts per season from 2012-2015.
Last season was especially taxing for Kershaw as he did his best to work his way back to the Majors after undergoing left shoulder surgery. A foot issue forced him back to the IL and amounted to Kershaw making just seven starts in 2024.
And most importantly for Kershaw on a personal level, it sidelined him for the Dodgers’ entire postseason run.
While Kershaw is now a two-time World Series champion, he doesn’t feel satisfied after not being able to contribute as much as he would have liked, according to Dylan Hernández of the L.A. Times:
“It just didn’t feel like it was the right time, even though we won [the World Series], you know, being on the shelf for that wasn’t the way that I had scripted it out. Still super thankful to be a part of it last year, and you get to see everything, but I want to be out there when it happens. So that was a good motivating factor, for sure.”
The joy on Kershaw’s face running out of the bullpen after the Dodgers recorded the final out of the 2020 World Series was palpable. And as he explained, the feeling that comes with directly contributing to the final result is what he is chasing and is why he is lacing up his cleats in 2025.
It is unclear how much longer Kershaw’s career will last. Perhaps he doesn’t even know that himself at the moment, but the baseball community is able to appreciate Kershaw in a Dodgers uniform for another season at the very least.
Clayton Kershaw: ‘special’ to play entire career with Dodgers
Reflecting on the opportunity to only play for one organization, Kershaw said that ending his career with just the Dodgers is “a goal” of his.
Similarly, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has maintained Kershaw is always welcomed to be part of the Dodgers roster
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