Cody Snavely
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting rotation has undergone significant upgrades over the last two offseasons. However, despite adding two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, Japanese phenoms Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, or flamethrower Tyler Glasnow, one constant has remained in the Dodgers’ rotation: Clayton Kershaw.
Despite exercising his opt-out at the start of the 2025 Major League Baseball offseason, the Dodgers and Kershaw agreed on a new 1-year $7.5 million contract for the 2025 season, the 18th season of his career, all with the Dodgers.
Like last winter, the veteran lefty underwent surgery again. After the conclusion of the 2023 season, in which the Dodgers were swept out of October by their National League West rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Kershaw underwent off-season shoulder surgery.
The rehab pushed his return until July, when his season would end prematurely thanks to a lingering toe injury. Kershaw would miss the entire Dodgers 2024 World Series run and announced at the World Series parade in downtown Los Angeles and Dodger Stadium that he would undergo offseason knee and toe surgery.
Prior to the start of the Tokyo Series in Tokyo, Japan, at the famous Tokyo Dome against the Chicago Cubs, the Dodgers, in order to make room on the roster for players, transferred Kershaw to the 60-day Injured List.
However, despite being placed on the 60-day Injured List, Kershaw, 37, hopes to return to the Dodgers’ starting rotation shortly after those days are up in June.
In an interview with Alanna Rizzo and A. J. Pierzynski of Foul Territory, Kershaw updated them on his rehab, the steps he needs to take to return, and when that date may be.
“I think it’s all on a good timeline. The foot is kind of weird. Not a lot of people have had this surgery, so there’s not a lot of finite milestones to make. But throwing some bullpens now, and everything feels good. It’s just kind of that last 10, 15% to really step on it. I think if that goes well, I think that’s (returning in June) fair.”
Last season was a year to forget for Kershaw. Despite the hurdles it took to return to the mound, the lefty only made seven starts and pitched to a 2-2 record, 4.50 ERA, 3.53 FIP, and 1.50 WHIP in thirty innings pitched.
Kershaw’s deal for this season also has numerous incentives and escalators, including an additional $1 million for making his 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th starts of the season. The deal also contains active roster bonuses; he’ll add an additional $2.5 million for 30 days on the active roster, $1 million for 60 days, and $1 million for 90 days.
Kershaw has a career 2.50 ERA and a combined 79.4 bWAR, which is the most of any Dodgers player in team history, in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles, and is only thirty-two strikeouts away from reaching the 3000 strikeout club, which would make him the fourth lefty to do so joining Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson, and CC Sabathia.
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