The Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw have had a good thing running the last 16 years.
Why not make it 17?
There is a “growing belief” the two sides are close to making it happen, according to Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post:
Kershaw has remained a free agent this offseason while he continues to recover from surgery on his left shoulder. Although he was not at the annual DodgerFest gathering at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, he was a frequent topic of conversation.
General manager Brandon Gomes said the door was open for Kershaw to return. Manager Dave Roberts noted that, while he didn’t sense any urgency from Kershaw to sign a contract for the 2024 season, the two had recently exchanged text messages.
Kershaw, who turns 36 in March, was generally excellent when healthy — and sometimes when he wasn’t — in 2023. He finished 13-5 with a 2.46 ERA in 24 starts, and provided stability to a starting rotation depleted by injuries.
In the past, Kershaw has publicly stated his desire to sign with just two teams: the Dodgers or Texas Rangers. Rumors swirled that Kershaw might choose his hometown club after a recent public appearance at his alma mater, Highland Park High School, with Rangers general manager Chris Young.
However, Kershaw’s track record of success in Los Angeles has few peers in franchise history. He is the team’s all-time leader in Wins Above Replacement, and a surefire Hall of Famer. The Dodgers can practically begin carving a statue of Kershaw alongside those for Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax in their center field pavilion.
For now, it seems, they won’t even have to retire his number-22 jersey.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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