The 2018 season will be a big one for Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, as he has the ability to opt out of his contract and test free agency at the end of the year.
Kershaw recently said that the thought of opting out has not yet crossed his mind, while Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said they are currently having ‘open dialogue’ with Kershaw about the possibility of signing a new contract.
For Kershaw to get the type of deal he will be looking for he may need to stay healthy this season. He has missed extended time in each of the last two seasons with back injuries, which could be alarming to teams.
Kershaw reported to Camelback Ranch for Spring Training healthy and ready to go though, as manager Dave Roberts already named him the club’s Opening Day starter for the eighth consecutive season.
Roberts has now also revealed when Kershaw will make his first Spring Training start, as he is set to take the mound on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
Kershaw starts Sunday.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) February 22, 2018
Kershaw will likely only throw one or two innings in the game and then could get more work in the bullpen afterward. Roberts has said that the plan is to ease him, and others, into things this spring.
Kershaw is coming off another outstanding season in which he went 18-4 with a 2.31 ERA, 3.07 FIP and 0.95 WHIP while 202 compared to just 30 walks in 175 innings. His win total was tied for the best in baseball, and ERA was tops in the National League.
What’s continued to escape Kershaw in recent seasons is a fourth Cy Young, though he did earn the Warren Spahn Award, which is presented annually to the top left-handed pitcher in all of baseball.
