Los Angeles Dodgers' star pitcher Clayton Kershaw will not pitch in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, per The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya and Ken Rosenthal. Although the future Hall of Famer is healthy, he struggled to obtain an insurance policy for the WBC as a result of his prior injury history. Missing out on the tournament is far from ideal for Kershaw, but it will allow him to have a normal Spring Training in Arizona with the Dodgers.
Dodgers fans were excited to see Clayton Kershaw represent Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Kershaw admitted on Friday that he's “bummed” and “frustrated” about the news, per Juan Toribio.
The Athletic reports that insurance coverage is a requirement to participate in the WBC. Kershaw, despite performing well last year, dealt with injury concerns. He hasn't pitched in more than 22 games since 2019. His injury problems made it difficult for him to get the aforementioned insurance policy.
The Dodgers will still have stars such as Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in the 2023 Classic. This Kershaw update could be a blessing in disguise as well.
MLB hasn't had a normal Spring Training since 2019. The pandemic obviously impacted the spring in 2020 and 2021 while the MLB lockout led to a shortened 2022 spring. Perhaps Clayton Kershaw can build up for a full and healthy campaign with a normal spring.
With that being said, he was certainly looking forward to playing in the World Baseball Classic. Nevertheless, Team USA will still have a strong opportunity to win the tournament.
Follow Us
Subscribe