Kershaw said multiple times he plans to return to Dodgers. It will need to happen through a new contract now.
Clayton Kershaw on Monday declined his player option, which makes the left-hander a free agent, at least for now. Kershaw has reiterated multiple times that he plans to return to the Dodgers in 2025.
Now his return will need to come on a new contract.
Kershaw’s player option had a $10 million base salary next season, as part of his contract signed back in February. That deal had a $5 million base salary for 2024 and a $5 million player option for 2025, with various incentives built in.
By making seven starts this season, Kershaw added another $2.5 million to his 2024 base salary, and boosted the base salary of his 2025 option to $10 million, along with up to $15 million in bonuses — $1 million for every start, or relief appearance of at least three innings, from 11-25.
When Kershaw announced he was returning for next season, during the NLCS, he was encouraged of how good his arm felt after returning from surgery last November to repair the gleno-humeral ligaments and capsule in his left shoulder.
“I had shoulder surgery last offseason. My shoulder, my elbow, everything, my arm feels great. Obviously I had some tough luck with my foot this year,” Kershaw said on Fox Sports on October 14. “I want to make use of this surgery. I don’t want to have surgery, and then shut it down.”
On Friday after the Dodgers championship celebration at Dodger Stadium, Kershaw reiterated that he would return to the team for 2025, whether it was through his player option or a new contract. Per Bill Plunkett at the Orange County Register, Kershaw said Friday of his player option, “I don’t know (how that will play out). I’ll be back, somehow. I don’t care. I’ll be back.”
Exactly when Kershaw might be ready to pitch in 2025 is to be determined. On Wednesday he’s having two surgeries in Los Angeles — on his left foot, which caused him to miss all of September and October, and his left knee to repair the meniscus.
Kershaw’s 17 seasons with the Dodgers are already the most by a pitcher in franchise history. Eighteen seasons would tie him with Zack Wheat and Bill Russell for the most by any Dodgers player. When I reminded Kershaw of this factoid during the postseason he quipped, “I still have to pitch next year.”
Kershaw had a 4.50 ERA and 3.53 FIP in his seven starts in 2024, though he allowed eight runs in six innings over his final two starts, leaving the last one on August 30 after recording only three outs while dealing with a bone spur in his left big toe. He had a 2.63 ERA and 3.00 FIP in his first five starts back off the injured list.
The Dodgers exercised the two club options they had, bringing back shortstop Miguel Rojas for $5 million and catcher Austin Barnes for $3.5 million.
With Kershaw now a free agent, the Dodgers now have 38 players on the 40-man roster, of which 24 are pitchers.