Veteran lefty and Los Angeles Dodgers franchise legend Clayton Kershaw says he intends to pitch again in 2025. Kershaw laid out his plans on the Fox pregame broadcast prior to Monday's NLCS Game 2 between the Dodgers and New York Mets.
"Mentally, I feel great," Kershaw said. "I had shoulder surgery last offseason, and my shoulder and elbow, everything, my arm, feels great. Obviously, I had some tough luck with my foot this year. But I want to make use of this surgery. I don't want to have surgery and shut it down. So I'm gonna come back next year and give it a go and see how it goes."
Kershaw, 36, was limited to just seven starts and 30 innings this season because of injuries – a recurring theme in recent years. Presently, he's been sidelined since Aug. 30 with a bone spur in his big toe, and he's been ruled out for the postseason. Prior to that, Kershaw's start to the 2024 season was delayed as he recovered from shoulder surgery. Even as his durability has waned in his thirties, he's mostly remained quite effective when healthy. For his career, Kershaw boasts 212 wins, an ERA+ of 156, and a WAR of 76.5. The three-time Cy Young winner is almost certainly bound for the Baseball Hall of Fame some day.
In the here and now, Kershaw was paid $5 million for this season, and his contract includes a $5 million player option for 2025. By the sounds of things, he intends to use it. Kershaw has spent his entire professional career with the Dodgers since being drafted by them with the No. 7 overall pick in 2006.