Clayton Kershaw was among the initial group of Los Angeles Dodgers free agents, which were subsequently joined this week by Hanser Alberto, Danny Duffy, Jimmy Nelson and Justin Turner.
Kershaw, like Tyler Anderson and Trea Turner, was considered a candidate to be extended the $19.65 million qualifying offer. However, just as the Dodgers did last season when Kershaw reached free agency for the first time in his career, they did not make the one-year offer to their longtime ace.
It’s presumed that decision stemmed from not again not wanting to place any sort of timeline or pressure on the 34-year-old. That’s despite unlike last offseason, Kershaw being healthy and indicating he would continue playing.
Now just hours after the deadline to extend a qualifying offer to eligible free agents, Kershaw is close to re-signing with the Dodgers on another one-year contract, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:
Clayton Kershaw and Dodgers nearing one-year deal, source tells @TheAthletic
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 11, 2022
Kershaw is coming off another productive season that was interrupted by two back injuries that cost him multiple weeks. He went 12-3 with a 2.28 ERA, 2.57 FIP and 0.94 WHIP in 126.1 innings over 22 starts.
Kershaw highlights during the 2022 season included starting the All-Star Game for the first time in his career, which fittingly came at Dodger Stadium, and passing Don Sutton to become the all-time Dodgers strikeouts leader.
Andrew Friedman, Max Muncy wanted Kershaw with Dodgers
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has routinely said his hope is for Kershaw to retire with the only franchise he’s ever played for. That was a sentiment Max Muncy echoed earlier this season as well.
From Kershaw’s standpoint, although there have been rumblings of potentially signing with his hometown Texas Rangers, a desire to play for a World Series contender has seemingly trumped that.
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