Clayton Kershaw Talks Decision to Sign Dodgers Contract, Injury Return Timetable

Clayton Kershaw recently opened up about his return to the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the three-time Cy Young Award-winner agreed to a contract with the team on Tuesday (via ESPN's Alden González).

Andy McCullough of The Athletic later specified that the deal includes a player option for the 2025 season. Kershaw was happy to return to the team that drafted him in 2006.

"I'd really never made a big decision in my life," Kershaw admitted, per González. "I got drafted by the Dodgers, married the same girl from high school. I didn't really have many decisions to make along the way. This was kind of the first offseason that I had some choices to make, and it wasn't easy. But I feel really good about it now."

The 35-year-old spent all 16 years of his career with Los Angeles, with his 2,944 strikeouts ranking No. 1 on the franchise's all-time leaderboard. He's made 10 All-Star teams and won the National League MVP award in 2014, while his 2.48 career ERA is the highest among all active players.

Kershaw announced on Nov. 3 that he underwent shoulder surgery, putting his availability for the 2024 season in jeopardy. He revealed that a return around July or August is realistic (via González).

"The freedom of not trying to get ready for a full season is kind of nice," he said. "It's just going to be a sprint when I get back. There's a little bit of comfort in that, honestly. You don't have to be ready April 1st. You can be ready whenever that is in the summer and kind of be ready to go."

The Dodgers should be able to get by while he's out, as the team signed ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto and traded for former Tampa Bay Rays starter Tyler Glasnow earlier in the offseason.