The Los Angeles Dodgers have revealed their latest hopes for a potential Clayton Kershaw reunion as the pitcher weighs a return, interest from other teams or retirement.
“The Dodgers have told me they are keeping the door open for a Kershaw return and hope he decides to finish his career as a Dodger,” Jim Bowden reported for The Athletic.
The Dodgers have filled out their rotation aggressively this offseason, adding two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (who won’t be able to pitch until 2025), signing Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto and reaching a deal with Tyler Glasnow.
And while Kershaw had a strong 2023 regular season, pitching for a 2.46 ERA and 13 wins in 24 starts, yet another playoff implosion might have left the Dodgers with questions about whether he can be an important part of a World Series run in 2024.
But, according to Bowden, the Dodgers’ offseason pitching moves have only made it more likely their franchise cornerstone will come back.
“I think the signings of Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will make it easier for (Kershaw) to decide to stay with Los Angeles rather than opting to finish his career with the Rangers, his hometown team, which is the only realistic option outside of him choosing to retire,” he reported.
The Los Angeles Dodgers Will Have the Best Pitching Staff in 2024, Beyond
With or without Kershaw’s return, the Dodgers are set to have one of the best if not the single best starting pitching staffs in 2024.
In 2023, the Dodgers had the 13th lowest team ERA in baseball at 4.06, but that figure stands to improve with their latest additions. Yamamoto is widely seen as one of the best rookie pitchers to join MLB in some time and Glasnow is coming off a 3.35 ERA season in which he started 21 games and struck out 162 batters.
After missing the 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Walker Buehler is poised to bring a career 3.02 ERA back to the rotation.
And the Dodgers can also expect strong innings from emerging starters like Emmet Sheehan and Bobby Miller.
“Miller, 24, showed massive poise and composure on the mound, which helped him navigate difficult spots,” Matt Levine wrote for FanNation. “It’s rare for a young pitcher to show this type of skillset early on in his career, and Miller has the organization very excited.”
And the Dodgers rotation is poised to get a lot stronger in 2025.
“Things get a lot more solidified for the Dodgers the following season,” per Matt Snyder of CBS Sports. “Yamamoto will have a full season under his belt… Ohtani enters the equation, too, but he isn’t alone. Both Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May will return from Tommy John Surgery.”
Does Clayton Kershaw Want to Return to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024?
While the latest reports indicate that the Dodgers would like to see Kershaw come back, there are open questions about how much the team might be willing to pay him to do so and what his own outlook is like.
After an ugly final start in the postseason, it seems like retirement is not an option for the 35-year-old.
“I think the competitor in me doesn’t want it to end the way it did,” Kershaw said of his future, according to Yahoo! Sports. “I want to win. I want to win another World Series.”
If it’s World Series or bust for Kershaw, it’s hard to think of a more appealing destination than the team he’s been a part of since entering the league in 2008.
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Dodgers Latest on Clayton Kershaw Return Revealed By Insider