Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Clayton Kershaw has not yet made a decision on where he’s going to pitch next season. He told David Vassegh of AM570 radio on Wednesday night that he’s still “in that process” right now of deciding where he wants to pitch for the 2024 season.
Kershaw did say he expects to pitch next summer, which is consistent with his initial messaging of a summer return that he announced after his surgery.
“I’m excited to pitch again and I really do think it’ll be this summer at some point,” Kershaw said. “So I feel good about that.”
Kershaw has spent the last few offseasons deciding between re-signing with the Dodgers or joining the Texas Rangers, his hometown team. While he hasn’t confirmed if that’s the decision this offseason, it’s hard to imagine he would play anywhere else aside from those two teams.
There could be a little more incentive to join Texas this offseason now that they’re the reigning World Series champions. But the Dodgers did just sign the best player in the sport, and appear to be all in on winning a World Series next season.
Here’s what Kershaw had to say about wanting to return to baseball next season after the disappointing finish to 2023.
“The competitor in me doesn’t want it to end the way it did,” Kershaw said. “I want to win. I want to win another World Series.”
If Kershaw is deciding between the Dodgers and Rangers, he’ll have a great shot at winning a second World Series. The Dodgers figure to be the favorites in the National League with Shohei Ohtani in tow, while the Rangers are looking to repeat.
Dodger fans selfishly want to see Kershaw back in Los Angeles in 2024, as it would truly mean everything to see him win a full-season World Series ring with the Dodgers.
But it does sound like he’s still in the process of deciding what’s best for him and his family, so we’ll have to continue to wait and see what he elects to do.
Andrew Friedman said earlier in the offseason that he “absolutely “wants Kershaw back, so if Kershaw wants to return to Los Angeles for 2024, the spot will be there for him.
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