Dodgers News: Kersh is ready for his closeup

LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw is back—and by his own choice.

The Dodgers’ longtime ace, future Hall of Famer, and emotional cornerstone is set to make his 2025 season debut this weekend, and the excitement in his voice says it all.

“I’m excited, man. I’m so excited to be back here,” Kershaw said during an appearance on MLB Network’s National Pregame Show. “I just want to contribute to this team. You know, it’s been a while. I’ve been watching a lot of games and… I love baseball and everything, but I’m ready to get out there and enjoy it and play and pitch and compete and help this team win some games.”

Kershaw’s return comes after a long rehab from foot surgery—a procedure he says was more grueling than his previous shoulder rehab. While the shoulder was challenging in its own right, recovering from foot surgery affected something even more fundamental for the veteran lefty: his ability to walk, move, and ultimately push off the mound the way he’s used to.

“It’s been a bit of a grind,” Kershaw admitted. “Just trying to figure out how to push off the same way I was, because I was compensating a lot for it last year. But physically, now I feel great. I feel like it’s over the hump.”

That physical milestone is critical—but the decision to come back wasn’t just about health. It was about pride.

“I think any baseball player would want to go out on their own terms,” Kershaw said. “For me, I just didn’t want an injury to be the reason that I stopped playing. So I wasn’t going to let last year be the last step for me.”

And he’s not doing this alone. Kershaw gave a heartfelt shoutout to his wife, Ellen, whose enthusiasm helped tip the scales.

“We’ve got four kids and she’s all about it. She wants to travel, she wants to be around, she wants to do the summer and travel around and see all the cities. If she wasn’t up for that, I don’t think I’d be up for it either,” he said. “A lot of credit goes to her.”

While sidelined, Kershaw had the chance to become a fan for once, and he’s loved what he’s seen from this 2025 Dodgers squad.

“There’s a lot of fight, man. These guys, they don’t quit,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of comeback wins already this year. Obviously there’s a lot of offensive talent—you see the names in the lineup—but what you don’t see is the grindy at-bats, the competitiveness all the way through. I love that. I love the grit that we have.”

On the pitching side, Kershaw is equally impressed.

“We’ve got a lot of guys throwing the ball super well,” he said. “I’m excited to get back and be a part of that rotation.”

Though Kershaw won’t be stepping into the batter’s box this year—at least not in-game—he hasn’t ruled out taking some swings for fun.

“I miss taking BP at Dodger Stadium,” he grinned. “I don’t miss hitting in the game. That’s too hard. But I think I’m going to have to work that in at least a couple times this year.”

With the season heating up, and the Dodgers pushing once again for October glory, Kershaw made it clear that finishing his career in Los Angeles feels more important now than ever.

“If you asked me three or four years ago, I would have said maybe not,” he reflected. “But now? Yes. I think it’s super special to get to be a part of it. I love being here. I love being a Dodger. I’m just super grateful to get to put on that uniform again on Saturday.”

Kershaw, now 37, has been synonymous with the Dodgers since debuting in 2008. He’s racked up three Cy Young Awards, a National League MVP, a World Series ring, and the respect of fans and peers alike. But even now, his focus is simple.

“My expectations? I expect to get people out,” he said with a smile. “That’s the goal—just get the next guy out and do it over and over again until Doc comes and takes the ball.”

Saturday night, when he takes the mound again at Dodger Stadium, it won’t just be about pitch counts or radar guns. It’ll be a celebration of resilience, legacy, and the enduring joy of the game.

And no matter how many starts remain in his legendary career, Kershaw’s presence once again in a Dodgers uniform is, as he put it, something to be deeply thankful for.

“There’s just a lot of gratitude right now,” he said. “To be back at Dodger Stadium and get to be with this group… it means a lot.”

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