Clayton Kershaw Returns To Dodgers, Agrees To One-Year Deal

National League starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw reacts after giving up a hit to Shohei Ohtani in the first inning of the 92nd MLB All-Star Game — Clayton Kershaw is taking it one year at a time, opting to stay with the LA Dodgers for at least one more season. GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA via AFP / KEVORK DJANSEZIAN

KEY POINTS

Clayton Kershaw is staying on with the Dodgers after agreeing to a one-year deal
The Rangers were interested in possibly acquiring Kershaw
Kershaw wants to continue vying for a World Series championship with his career winding down

Clayton Kershaw will stay on with the Los Angeles Dodgers, at least for one more MLB season.

This was after the 2014 NL MVP reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Dodgers according to sources cited by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

It was added that the new action of the 34-year-old pitcher is likely to be similar to the $17 million, one-year deal he signed shortly after the owners' lockout that concluded in March.

The Dodgers declined to extend the nine-time All-Star's $19.65 million qualifying offer on Thursday, November 11, a similar move they did in the offseason.

The reported reason behind this is that Los Angeles did not want to pressure Kershaw into making an abrupt decision.

Even at his age, Kershaw continues to show why he remains one of the game's best pitchers to this day.

He went 12-3 with a 2.28 ERA in 126⅓ innings, striking out 137 batters and issuing only 23 walks while starting the All-Star Game from Dodger Stadium last MLB season.

This was despite the one-time World Series champion struggling with health issues. That includes being placed on the injured list twice due to discomfort in his lower back.

As a result, Kershaw is expected to treat each season on a year-to-year basis.

But as far as his decision for 2023, it was technically settled toward the end of the last MLB season.

There was growing interest in Kershaw with his future with the Dodgers unclear before the recent agreement.

A team that was allegedly interested in getting the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner was the Texas Rangers–a team that he grew up rooting for.

However, Kershaw knows that with his MLB career winding down and the opportunity to play for a team that could figure in the World Series was equally important.

Hence, it made more sense for him to stay on with the Dodgers–the only squad he has played for since joining the league in 2008.

With Kershaw staying on, the Dodgers will now have four starting pitchers.

Kershaw will join a mix that includes Julio Urias, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin.