The Los Angeles Dodgers have already made two main additions to their beginning rotation this offseason in Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki. The group can also be anticipating each Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow to return early subsequent season, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto nonetheless holding his spot within the rotation.
On high of these 5 gamers, the Dodgers have loads of choices for a No. 6 starter together with Tony Gonsolin, Dustin Could, Landon Knack, and Bobby Miller.
Nonetheless, regardless of the group’s abundance of pitchers, basic supervisor Brandon Gomes mentioned Wednesday that L.A. nonetheless desires to re-sign Clayton Kershaw this offseason.
Gomes mentioned that Kershaw was among the many gamers who submitted a video to Sasaki as a part of the group’s recruiting pitch to signal Sasaki.
He additionally supplied an replace on Kershaw’s harm rehab after present process foot and knee surgical procedures this offseason, saying Kershaw has progressed in his throwing program however just isn’t but throwing off a mound.
Kershaw emphatically referred to as himself a “Dodger for all times” throughout the group’s World Sequence parade. Simply weeks earlier, after asserting he was going to come back again for the 2025 season, he mentioned it was going to be with the Dodgers.
“Mentally, I really feel nice. I had shoulder surgical procedure final offseason, and my shoulder and elbow, every little thing, my arm, feels nice,” Kershaw mentioned on the Fox Sports activities pregame present throughout the Nationwide League Championship Sequence. “Clearly, I had some robust luck with my foot this yr. However I wish to make use of this surgical procedure. I don’t wish to have surgical procedure and shut it down. So I’m gonna come again subsequent yr and provides it a go and see the way it goes.”
When later requested to make clear if he deliberate on testing free company, Kershaw mentioned: “I’m going to be a Dodger.”
Whereas that has been the plan all alongside, the a number of rotation additions the Dodgers made appeared to probably block a path for Kershaw to return. The Dodgers don’t see it that method, although.
Kershaw, who made simply seven appearances final yr whereas coping with a number of accidents, is anticipated to overlook the start of the 2025 season. Kershaw is probably going a 60-day injured listing candidate, which means the group can signal and stash him, and hope he makes an affect in some unspecified time in the future halfway via the season.
Kershaw enters the 2025 season simply 32 strikeouts away from 3,000 in his profession. Solely 19 pitchers have reached that milestone of their MLB careers. Kershaw will look to turn out to be the twentieth as a member of the one group he’s ever recognized subsequent season.
Picture Credit score: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Pictures
