Clayton Kershaw won’t pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers this postseason, but he intends to return to the mound in 2025. Before the Dodgers faced the New York Mets in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, Kershaw appeared on Fox’s pregame coverage and confirmed that this season won’t mark the end of his illustrious career.
“Mentally, I feel great. I had shoulder surgery last offseason, and my shoulder and elbow, everything, my arm, feels great,” he said. “Obviously, I had some tough luck with my foot this year, but I want to make use of this surgery. I don’t want to have surgery and shut it down. So I’m gonna come back next year and give it a go and see how it goes.”
Kershaw has a player option with the Los Angeles Dodgers for 2025, and his recent announcement virtually ensures he will exercise that option. Just before the playoffs began, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed that Kershaw would be sidelined for the rest of the season due to a toe injury. His last appearance was on August 30, when he pitched just one inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks before exiting due to a bone spur in his left big toe.
The 36-year-old veteran had been throwing and attempting to stay active in hopes of being available for the postseason, but the team ultimately chose to shut him down. Roberts noted that the injury was “actually getting worse.” Kershaw has mentioned that surgery is “definitely in the conversation,” but no plans have been confirmed yet.
It was a challenging season filled with injuries for the three-time Cy Young winner, who signed a one-year contract with the team he has been with throughout his entire big league career. After undergoing surgery to repair a torn capsule in his left shoulder in November, he didn’t make his first appearance until July 25. This season, he pitched 30 innings over seven starts, finishing with a 2-2 record and a 4.50 ERA—the highest of his 17-year career.
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