On the staff’s World Collection celebration on Friday, future Corridor of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw declared himself a “Dodger for life.”
To be a Dodger in 2025, nevertheless, he and the staff must work out a brand new contract.
Although Kershaw had a participant choice for no less than $10 million subsequent season, he evidently declined it Monday, with the Main League Baseball Gamers Assn. itemizing him as a free agent. Whereas this marks the fourth straight offseason Kershaw will hit free company, the veteran left-hander has already mentioned he’ll pitch for the Dodgers subsequent 12 months — a change from the final three winters, when the Dallas native thought-about signing with the Texas Rangers.
So, to return to Los Angeles for an 18th MLB season, Kershaw and the staff will now need to strike a brand new settlement as an alternative.
Kershaw hinted he may not opt-in to his present deal following the Dodgers’ World Collection parade and stadium rally on Friday, saying that he would “somehow” stay with the staff, and that he didn’t care in regards to the technique.
Kershaw’s present deal, which he signed final winter, would have assured him $10 million for subsequent season, with the chance to make as much as $25 million complete based mostly on incentives (after 10 begins subsequent 12 months, he would have acquired a $1 million bonus for each begin thereafter).
By choosing a brand new deal, Kershaw and the staff can restructure his wage and/or add choices for future seasons, if he needs to maintain enjoying past 2025.
After lacking the primary 4 months of this 12 months recovering from shoulder surgical procedure, Kershaw will as soon as once more face well being questions getting into 2025. This week, he’s scheduled to bear surgical procedure on his left toe (to deal with a bone spur, arthritis and a ruptured plantar plate) and left knee (the place he has a meniscus harm). Till these procedures are full, he mentioned he’s uncertain of how lengthy the restoration course of will take.
Nonetheless, for a membership that has openings in its beginning rotation, and has lengthy revolved across the three-time Cy Younger Award winner and former Nationwide League Most worthy participant, retaining Kershaw — formally — was on the Dodgers’ offseason to-do checklist.
And although that field remained unchecked as of Monday, his return ought to be finalized in some unspecified time in the future this offseason.
