Starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw remains a free agent. In similar fashion to last offseason, it appears likely that Kershaw will either return to the Los Angeles Dodgers or sign with the Texas Rangers, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Many people around the MLB world still believe Kershaw will re-sign with the Dodgers. After all, he's spent his entire career in Los Angeles. Kershaw is from Texas, though, so returning home may appeal to the future Hall-of-Famer.
Kershaw underwent surgery following the 2023 campaign, however. His timetable for a return is fairly uncertain, but Kershaw said he expects to return during the summer. Unless a setback occurs, whichever team signs Kershaw should have him available for a stretch run later in the season.
Clayton Kershaw's free agency
Kershaw, a three-time NL Cy Young award-winning pitcher, has been one of the most consistent regular-season hurlers in the sport. Even in 2023, while dealing with some injury concerns, he recorded a stellar 2.46 ERA across 131.2 innings pitched.
One has to wonder how much Kershaw has left in the tank at 35 years old. The encouraging element of Kershaw's ability as a pitcher is that he doesn't rely on a heavy fastball to record outs. Instead, he paints the corners and utilizes his full repertoire of pitches to retire hitters.
So despite his age and injury history, there is reason to believe that Clayton Kershaw can still be effective moving forward. His playoff struggles are something to consider as well, but Kershaw's track record and legacy will still lead to free-agency interest.
At the moment, it seems that both the Dodgers and Rangers are open to signing Kershaw. The question is whether or not Kershaw, one of the best Dodgers pitchers of all-time, will truly consider leaving the only MLB organization he's ever known.
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