The Los Angeles Dodgers have already made two main additions to their beginning rotation this offseason in Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki. The staff 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 prime of these 5 gamers, the Dodgers have loads of choices for a No. 6 starter together with Tony Gonsolin, Dustin Might, Landon Knack, and Bobby Miller.
Nonetheless, regardless of the staff’s abundance of pitchers, basic supervisor Brandon Gomes stated Wednesday that L.A. nonetheless desires to re-sign Clayton Kershaw this offseason.
Gomes stated that Kershaw was among the many gamers who submitted a video to Sasaki as a part of the staff’s recruiting pitch to signal Sasaki.
He additionally offered an replace on Kershaw’s damage 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 known as himself a “Dodger for all times” through the staff’s World Sequence parade. Simply weeks earlier, after asserting he was going to come back again for the 2025 season, he stated 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 part, my arm, feels nice,” Kershaw stated on the Fox Sports activities pregame present through the Nationwide League Championship Sequence. “Clearly, I had some robust luck with my foot this 12 months. However I need to make use of this surgical procedure. I don’t need to have surgical procedure and shut it down. So I’m gonna come again subsequent 12 months 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 stated: “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 means, although.
Kershaw, who made simply seven appearances final 12 months whereas coping with a number of accidents, is predicted to overlook the start of the 2025 season. Kershaw is probably going a 60-day injured checklist candidate, which means the staff can signal and stash him, and hope he makes an influence sooner or later 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 change into the twentieth as a member of the one staff he’s ever recognized subsequent season.
Photograph Credit score: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Photos
