*Photo from the New York Times*
It was down to the home he's been in for his entire MLB career, or his home state in Texas. He stayed in the same place. The Los Angeles Dodgers and LHP Clayton Kershaw have agreed to a one year, $17 million deal with incentives, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Dodgers have confirmed the deal.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said recently that it would be very strange if the Dodgers opened up spring training with Kershaw not there. Now, neither Roberts nor Kershaw have to imagine that possibility, as he's got at least one more year of pitching at Chavez Ravine, with performance bonuses to go along with it.
Kershaw has spent all 14 of his major league seasons with the Dodgers, during which he has become one of the most decorated pitchers in team history. His 376 starts ranks 3rd in team history, behind Don Sutton and Don Drysdale. His 185 wins are 4th most in team history, and his 2,670 strikeouts is second in Dodgers history.
Making only 22 starts due to injury in 2021, Kershaw was his reliable self when healthy. He finished the year with a 10-8 record to go along with a 3.55 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, fanning 144 hitters across 121 2/3 innings pitched in the regular season. Due to injury, he did not appear in the playoffs.
In his 14 years, Kershaw has a 185-84 record, with a 2.49 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, with 2,670 strikeouts and 2,454 2/3 innings pitched, in 376 starts and 3 relief appearances, having collected 8 all star appearances, including a streak of 7 in a row between 2011 and 2017, and the ever elusive world series ring, which he finally got in 2020.
There was growing speculation that Kershaw would retire this offseason, given he left with injury at the end of the season and got a PRP injection that sidelines him for most of the offseason. Ultimately, he's playing for at least one more year, but whenever he does retire, Kershaw will most likely be getting into the hall of fame in his first year on the ballot.
By re-signing with the Dodgers, Kershaw adds more depth to a group in flux. Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Julio Urias are the top 3 starters in the rotation. Trevor Bauer's status is uncertain after being placed on administrative leave again by MLB. Other players vying for rotation time include Tony Gonsolin and David Price, with Dustin May returning sometime in the second half of the season from Tommy John surgery.
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