FEBRUARY 21: In what’s sure to be welcome news to Dodger fans, Kershaw said this afternoon he has “no intention” of retiring any time soon (via Juan Toribio of MLB.com). The star left-hander believes he has “a few years left in the tank.”
FEBRUARY 15: Clayton Kershaw is about to enter his 14th season in the Major Leagues, and the final season of his current three-year, $93MM deal with the Dodgers. Could it also be the final season of what will surely be a Hall Of Fame career?
“I’ll just say, I don’t know,” Kershaw told Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. “I have no idea. I do know that I still love it and I have a blast.”
The Dodgers have yet to discuss a potential contract extension with their longtime ace, and Kershaw was again non-committal when asked if he wanted a new deal: “I don’t know. Honestly, I wish I had an answer.” The left-hander said his goals are simply to earn “my teammates’ respect and I just want to pitch well as long as I can. So all that other stuff will take care of itself.”
Kershaw is still relatively young, as he doesn’t turn 33 until next month. However, he has already dealt with a number of injury problems during his career, while pitching a combined 2522 innings in the regular season and postseason. There’s also the fact that Kershaw’s baseball bucket list could hardly be more complete now that he has finally won a World Series and erased some past struggles in the playoffs. Kershaw’s championship ring is the latest addition to a resume that includes three NL Cy Young Awards, eight All-Star appearances, the 2014 NL MVP Award, and a reputation as one of the best pitchers of all time.
Kershaw admitted that he “wasn’t as enthused to get back going again” for his winter training regiment in the wake of the Dodgers’ title, though he sees it as more of a change in motivation rather than a lack thereof. “It’s a great problem to have,” he explained. “I think every offseason in the past it’s been, ’I just want to get this done. I just want to do it, do it, do it.’ And there’s this passion and it just constantly builds and builds and builds. And now the pressure is just because we have a great team and we’re supposed to win. That’s awesome.”
As Castillo noted, the fact that the interview at Kershaw’s home even took place represented a shift in the left-hander’s perspective, given how Kershaw has been very private over the years. Kershaw and his wife Ellen have three children, and while the family often traveled together in pre-COVID times, Ellen Kershaw said that “it’s not as easy to pull [the kids] out of school and get us to L.A. during the season” as the children get older.
One possible bridge between family and baseball endeavors would be a free agent deal with the Rangers next offseason — Kershaw’s family lives in his hometown of Dallas throughout the offseason. It isn’t clear, however, whether Kershaw would consider the Rangers or any other team besides the Dodgers if he does continue his career, as he stressed how much he has enjoyed playing in Los Angeles.
He’s not retiring. He’ll get another contract
This is a nothing story. He isn’t retiring. Classic case of a journalist getting a couple quotes and trying to turn it into more than it is. He is basically just saying he can’t know what the future holds which is objectively true.
Dodgers will extended him with another short term contract modest aav and opt outs to keep him happy. My guess is 2/50 million with escalators next season similar to turners deal this season.
I like that call.
Thinking the same.
Filler Material
Don’t be surprised if the Rangers make Kershaw a 2 or 3 year offer at $40M+ per. Their 2022 payroll will be under $50M with a bunch of kids coming and a need for an ace to lead the staff in a new ballpark.
Dodgers will never allow it to get that far. They’ll start feeling out his price midseason and either sign him to an extension right away or at worse sign him hurt before he becomes a free agent.
The Dodgers aren’t spending more on one year of Bauer than the entire salary of the Pittsburgh Pirates just to let one of the most dominating starters in Dodger history to just walk.
Typical baby stuff. Little baby.
Guessing you didn’t read the article and have no knowledge about Kershaw, his family, and his charitable endeavors.
Baby or not squirt it’s the truth!
I don’t know if I will play beyond this year. I want to play as long as I can. I don’t know, I just don’t know. Just say what you mean. Reporter was invited to his home and he said nothing.
Rangers aren’t going to pay Kershaw anywhere close to $40 million. Maybe $25-30 million per season, depending on how this season goes. Much as I’d love for the Rangers to get him, I think if he continues, it will be with the Dodgers.
In the past decade, there’s been 10,000s of people move from Cali to TX. If that’s kershaws plan- there’s nothing the dodgers can do to stop him
And at 33/34, he can easily get a 4/5 year deal and it’ll be much higher than 25 mil per season. No way he gives dodgers a discount for his services
How much Kershaw gets for his age 34 season (assuming he even plays it) will depend on how well he pitches in his age 33 season. Seems too obvious to even say but there it is. Also worth pointing out that Kershaw’s current contract is $31M + performance bonuses. If he was willing to sign that kind of contract with the Dodgers before it seems kind of likely that he would do it again when he’s older. Finally, nothing Kershaw has ever said even hints at an interest in playing anywhere else but LA. None of this points to a “discount” but it does point to what the player is likely to do in the future.
Also, it’s pretty ridiculous to think he’d even be interested in a 4-5 year contract at age 34, since he’s apparently not completely convinced that he wants to pitch after this year. I mean, that is what the man said, right?
So you think a team is going to throw a 4-5 years contract with an AAV that is MUCH higher than 25 mil per year to a 34 year old who has been injured for decent chunks of almost every single season over the last 3-4 years and has a large amount of mileage on his arm, along with chronic back trouble?
Easily, huh? Sorry I’m just not seeing it, bot
Except the Rangers suck and aren’t anywhere near a WS in the next 10 years. Kershaw wants to win not be a .500 team
Nobody is paying Kershaw $40+ million for 2 or 3 years and that includes the Dodgers. The Rangers focus for a free agency overspend is Trevor Storey because the Rangers are pretty much his hometown team.
So the words coming out of his mouth were just made up? Or he didn’t say what he meant to say?
Contrary to what was said here though, Kershaw is not really so private. He is interviewed quite a bit, and shares his thinking as far as it goes. Those us who’ve read or heard him talk about himself in the past know this is pretty typical. He takes everything it as it comes. He isn’t a planner, he goes on instinct as a ballplayer and as a person. So what he said about his future in this interview isn’t surprising at all, or made up, or exaggerated, it’s vintage Kershaw. It’s exactly what I’d expect him to say. Total takeaway he wants to pitch as long as he’s able to contribute. That’s his complete plan.
Personally, I expect him to go short term with the Dodgers after this season, maybe even a year at a time.
Well said blue sky
I agree. There’s no way. He may choose to leave the Dodgers though.
Hes going to retire and take on a more noble profession like peanut farming.
That might be a hard nut to crack…
It would be a great chance for him to come out of his shell
plenty of protein in those pods
He’d have to either be salty or nuts to leave the Dodgers
or he decides that TEX is better for his three seeds to sprout.
and then it got a bit cold in TX…
He’d do that in a Jif
Sounds like we better appreciate and enjoy Kersh even more this season. I can appreciate a man really wanting to do things right for his family.
@pacific, while not stated in the article, I would agree that at this point in his life, family is probably more important than anything to a class-act like Kershaw. I could see him taking a two year “final” contract with the Dodgers tho, especially if they don’t repeat a WS win in 2021. If he were to get a second ring this season, all bets are off.
Stop on!
i can’t imagine him not coming back.
As a Giants fan he is one of the best I’ve ever watched pitch. He’s a class act, great on and off the field. He’ll be missed if he decides to hang em up.
@Balk, from one Giants fan to another, I agree 100%
Add another Giants fan in there, because I absolutely agree too. The thing is, the Giants won’t miss him lol
Kershaw vs Bumgarner matchups were legendary.
Yes they were.
@scottn59c
So true! You knew at least one of them was going 7+, allowing 1 run or less every time…or at least it sure seemed that way. They would probably both have an additional 10 career wins if they didn’t have to face each other so many times, lol.
Awesome when Bum homered twice of Kershaw. In different years but no small choir for a pitcher
Kershaw has one of the most dominant records against the Giants. He is a Giant killer that’s for sure
Those games were always a highlight for me as a Dodgers fan.
Can’t even touch it. They were classics. Watching Kershaws face when bum took him deep! He was like what the hell man! Lol
you’re right on about that…and BTW, you & the other Giants fans in this thread are exactly the fun fans I always was lucky enough to sit next to @ Candlestone when I my friends & would drive over during our college days while living in Stockton for Dodger-Giant games in early 80s. Real fans who knew the game and were still fans during the Pettini-Sularz Era (if someone doesn’t know those were really lean years for the Giants, only real true fans stuck it out). Thanks for being ‘that fan’ it makes the rivalry all the more fun!
The last at-bat Bumgarner had against Kershaw in a Giants uniform was telling at just how much mutual respect each had for the other.
My favorite Dodger of all time as a rival fan who hates the Dodgers. He was always admirable to watch, I really hope it’s not his last year.
When I interned with the Dodgers, Kershaw was throwing his second outing of Spring Training. He spiked a 1-1 change up with 1 out in the second inning. There was a small crowd of about 2,000 people who got to hear Kershaw call himself some of the worse things I’ve ever heard come out of player’s mouth.
It was a meaningless pitch in a meaningless game, but not for him. Want to know what it takes to be the best? Challenging yourself to be perfect. Always.
@Steve Nebraska did you intern for the Dodgers when they were in Vero Beach?
Nooooooo.
Kershaw’s gonna go out like Elway
He is going to become a bad GM?
Going to sell cars?
@tedtheodorelogan
Ironically, Elway’s playing career and GM career were inverts of each other. His playing career started with many losses, then eventually culminated in the 2 Super Bowls. While his GM career started with a bang (drafting Miller and signing numerous great FAs early which led to 2 more SB appearances and another victory), but quickly fizzled into a pretty unceremonious end. I always thought it was funny how that worked.
Still, the only person to ever win a SB as a QB and GM for the same franchise in NFL history, so I don’t think I would say his GM career as a whole was bad. Rather, it just finished poorly.
Bleedingblue, your at the wrong rumors page, you need NFL not MLB, but your take on John Elway is correct.
He’s gonna end up looking like an aged horse?
Can’t see it. We thought the Dodgers were juggernauts before. Now that they’ve gotten over the hump and added Betts, they can rip off a bunch of titles real quick.
This isn’t your average big payroll team. These Dodgers have been the best ran team in the sport for half a decade now and are still churning out big time contributors. This could be some kind of GS Warriors/Tom Brady/SF Giants 3-out-of-5 kind of deal.
I like your optimistic perspective. A big part of their future involves what(if any) contracts can be worked with Seager after the ‘21 season and Belly after ‘22 season.
Hopefully, they can agree to contracts to both guys. It will be a significant challenge to achieve that, considering both players’ are represented by Boras.
@Paddy I appreciate your optimism but I doubt dodgers sign both especially with boras. Based on track record they would lucky to get 1 of the 2 signed on a long term contracts. Being boras clients you always have to massively overpay over the market and that’s something dodgers won’t do.
I have been saying this for some time with betts locked in I think bellinger is going to be delt before he hits free agency. Bellinger is the most inconsistent but talented player on dodgers roster his long term deal could be back breaking similar to Josh Hamilton’s deal with angels. Question is which bellinger are you getting last years model who looked lost at plate or the mvp the season before?
Dodgers are smart and you can’t build a strong team with 3/4 players making over 30+ million per season. Buehlers next deal is also looming in horizon 23’ and he is arguably the most important of the 3. Dodgers shift players around all the time especially when playing well (reds deal for wood, puig, kemp and more recently kolarek and floro) to capitalize on value and plan for future.
Kershaw and Seager will both be looking for $30+ million per year next year. Seager will be looking for a $341 million total contract. 2 years later Bellinger and Buehler will both be looking for the same. Choices will have to be made.
You’re also forgetting Gavin Lux is set up to be a big piece of the infield mix as soon as this year. There’s always outfielders available.
I’m not even a Dodgers fan (Die hard Braves fan here.) They added Betts and didn’t sacrifice any major piece. Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin are depth pieces in the rotation. If they repeat this season, that’s two, so they’d only need one more in the next three years, which I’d expect them to get.
Point being, it’s very easy to see the Dodgers entering the next five seasons as the odds-on favorite. I think Kershaw is going to be around for at least that.
He has nothing left to accomplish, but that competitive fire is still there.
Unless he’s hit with a significant health issue this year, he’s not retiring and he’s not going off to pitch for the Rangers. It’ll be a case of Kershaw and the Dodgers figuring out a price they’re both comfortable with.
What’s left to accomplish? CYA, MVP, World Series Champion… anything more is all-time records for wins, strikeouts, etc.
Although I agree with your sentiment, and feel he’s certainly worthy of all the praise as well as a sure fire hall of famer, I think he’s going to need to pitch another decade if he’s ever going to achieve the all time wins/Ks records
I hope he doesn’t retire, as a Jays fan if you want to be the best you should beat the best.
Kudos to the Dodgers and Kershaw. Here’s to another 3-4 years until we meet in in the WS
@Jaysfan I wholeheartedly feel that he doesn’t care about any of that. He’s always been straight and a class act. Read between the lines and he says “I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to in baseball. I want to remain good enough to support my teammates.”
That wasn’t a real WS though. 60 games 1/3 of a season doesn’t count
They went into the season as the best team, had the best regular season record, faced an extra round in the postseason, and won the World Series. COVID is not the Dodgers’ fault. It counts.
For a team that has won 8 consecutive times their division, your concerns about a short season are pointless, not just because they had the best record in a short season, but because more than half of the teams made playoffs (hope this experiment was the last time) making the regular season worthless..
Do you mean all time records for the Dodgers or something? Because in no way does he break the wins record (no one ever will) and he’s no where near the strikeout record. I don’t think there’s a single record he can break.
He should aim for 200 Wins and 3000+ Ks. That would really cement his legacy. He could hit those numbers with 2 very dominant seasons or 3 good ones. Then is when he should decide to retire or not
Nobody cares about the all-time records for wins.
And what’s left to accomplish is more rings and more money.
Bradbluefish –
Sometimes it’s just about the love of playing the game and enjoying the camaraderie of your teammates that keep guys going after they’ve achieved all personal goals. Let’s hope that’s the case here!
honestly I would. He has achieved pretty much everything a pitcher would like to achieve on the mound and as part of a team. He is also a lock to be first ballot HOF. Time to spend some with family but I can imagine not retiring because of players’ competitive nature. good luck to him nonetheless.
While I really find it hard to believe he would hang ’em up, family does take priority in all aspects of life. If that is his reason to walk away (yes, there could be other reasons), then no one should have a problem with that.
Oh please. Kershaw is just trying to create suspense. He’ll sign a new 3 year deal worth $122 million after the season
If Bauer opts out maybe, but if he doesn’t, I’m not sure i see him headed back to LA. The rotation will be full of options and they will need to re-sign Seager and bellinger will be making over 20 million in arbitration. And that is next year alone. Factor in Buehler entering arbitration by the end of the deal as well as smith. Plus by the end of the deal bellinger would be a FA.
Bellinger isn’t a free agent till 2024
Free agency:
Seager 22’
Kershaw 22’
Muncy 23’
Bellinger 24’
Turner 24’
Polluck 24’
Buehler 25’
The Dodgers don’t have the money
65 million off the books next year
Kenley 19 million
Kelly 9 million
Kershaw 32 million
Taylor 7.5 million
If you look further muncy is then off books and bauer is gone most likely in 23’ and the only long term commitment is betts at 30 million annually
If the Dodgers let those 4 players go they will end up just below the luxury tax. If they re-sign Kershaw they will still be above it.
It’s almost like they intentionally ducked below the tax when they could, so they could blow past it while defending a title… almost like they are run by very intelligent people
The only way the Dodgers can get under the tax next year will be to let Jansen, Kelly, Taylor, Kershaw and Seager all walk next year and sign zero free agents to replace them. Just signing Kershaw and Seager will take up the whole $65 million that is supposed to come off the books.
You really think the Dodgers are scared of the luxury tax? If so-you have no sense. He also forgot to mention Knebel’s 5.25M deal comes off after this year-and after the 2022 season, Bauer(45M), Muncy(8.75M), Turner(17M), Price(16M), Pollock(13M), Treinen(8.25M), and Kahnle(2.5M) all come off the books as well. The Dodgers will likely go back over next year-and then go under after that in time for 2023. Kershaw is getting re-signed, and if Seager doesn’t-they’ll just pick between Lindor, Story, Correa, or Baez in F/A. Seager and Kershaw would not cost 65M. I’d say 50M. Seager would get something similar to Tatis’s deal-except shorter-at about 25M, and Kershaw would take a slight paycut-2 years, 50M seems about right. Kenley and Kelly will be gone-nobody will miss them-and Taylor might stay if offered what he’s making now for 2-3 more years.
Ramon ParraGarcia –
Pretty specific dollar amount there….can I please borrow your crystal ball, sir?
I didn’t know Sketchers makes baseball cleats. In my mind Skechers is the brand of shoe one wears when you just decide to completely give up caring about how you look.
They were kind of popular when I was in elementary school. Didn’t know that they were faux pas now.
just had a new skechers store open up near me and went in last night. completely different shoe now. low quality, high price garbage.
So you’re saying you didn’t watch sports pre Jordan? Sketchers were the sht back then, then Jordan came and it all changed
I hope he doesn’t run out of money retiring so young
It is hard to disagree with the point that he doesn’t have anything left to prove or accomplish. Ok, let’s keep in mind that a person in mid 30’s is not generally in the mindset of retiring from the profession that they have worked all of their young lives to perfect. He doesn’t have anything to prove but, when healthy, happy and getting paid 35 mil / year to do what you love, I don’t see him walking away. Like for him to go to a non NL west team!
yeah, the whole “something to prove” thing never makes sense to me. if that was the case why not retire after last year. most guya dont retire this early while still doing quite well, especially in baseball.
Unpopular opinion I’m sure but a lock for the hall of fame? Sure the ERA is there but what other numbers are? Not wins. Not K’s. He’s gotta pitch a few more years and increase some more columns to be a lock.
Coming from an anti-Dodger fan – he is a lock. Possibly the best SP of his generation. Wish he wasn’t a Dodger. He is the guy you think of for his window, like Maddox, like Randy Johnson before him.
I honestly have nothing against him or the Dodgers. There are pitchers with better career numbers that aren’t in the HOF. If he gets to 200+ wins and 3000Ks then by all means roll out the red carpet. But don’t tell me he’s an unquestionable lock if he retires tomorrow.
Sandy Koufax retired with 165 wins and 2396 strikeouts, and no one questioned his HOF bona fides.
It’s a lock.
All you have to do is compare him to Koufax and it’s simple. He’s a lock.
Koufax pitched until he couldn’t. He also had 137 complete games and 40 shutouts against 167 victories. More dominant then kershaw IMO.
Kershaw has a 63/69 ERA-/FIP- and Koufax has a -75 ERA-/FIP- and both have pitched about the same amount of total innings. Kershaw also has way more strikeouts despite the similar inning totals.
the Koufax era is not how the game works anymore for pitchers. Kershaw has been dominant in his era for 14 years, won 3 Cy Youngs, and a ring. how is there any doubt about first-ballot HOF?
Nearly Every stat disagrees Koufax was more dominate than kershaw. More like he faced much easier competition
Just sit down and don’t make controversial opinions If you clearly have done no research on his candidacy beside… 2 stats?
It’s the “Sandy Koufax” argument, which is also how Pedro Martinez got in on his first ballot. Like Kershaw or hate him, from 2011-2017 he was easily the most dominate Starting Pitcher in Baseball
First of all, who hates Kershaw? Okay maybe nobody and it was just a concept. Anyway it’s difficult to impossible to compare pitchers from such different eras. Compete games were everyday occurrences then. Now they are uncommon. Kershaw is one of the greatest pitchers of his generation.
neither of those last two numbers really matter. they are window dressing for borderline cases. Kershaw has dominated for years now. putting up that ERA over that time as a SP is a surefire lock, and id bet he’s in 1st ballot.
Kershaw has the lowest career ERA for a starter in the post-deadball era, and the only Mariano Rivera is ahead of him if you include relievers with sizable innings pitched.
And while I’m a little biased, I’m not sure how it’s even a debate that Kershaw is the best of his generation. He absolutely is. He beats every contender to the title on both numbers and longevity. His “worst” season since his rookie year was 2019, and he had a 3.03 ERA, his first time where it didn’t start with a 1 or 2 since said rookie year.
That’s a lock. Should be unanimous, first year eligible. Kershaw’s comparisons aren’t his peers, but the likes of Randy Johnson, Maddux, Pedro, Koufax, etc., the all-time greats. He’s been in the conversation for best ever to do it, and has been for years.
differentbears – he’s a really good pitcher, but not an all time great. Just never really had the post season chops to be the difference maker. He’ll need a bit more time to erase that blemish and to get more than 90% vote
DBears it’s true enough he won’t be joining my name sake Michael Jack as an all time great. An all time Very Good and a 1st ballet HOF but not upper 90’s percentage wise. He’s just not that good – Jeter , Mariano were the last ones if you discount the steroid guys
Not that good compared to Jeter and Mariano? Bring that up to anyone else and watch you get laughed at-and then beat up. Jeter’s stats over 162 games-.310/15/77 with 21 SB and a .817 career OPS. That’s a 1st round HOF’er? The average is there-but other than that-the other stats aren’t impressive. 21 SB is achievable over a full season. 15 home-runs in 162 games is a dead-ball era hitter. 77 RBI’s in that time is roughly average. An .817 career OPS is above average-but not HOF worthy. Mariano is a special case-there are only 8 relievers in the HOF, and he’s the gold standard. He doesn’t really count in this discussion. Let’s look at Kershaw’s 162 game average- 17-7 record, 2.43 ERA, ERA+ of 158, 223IP, 242K, K/9 of 9.7. He’s the active leader in WHIP, ERA, ERA+, and WAR among pitchers since 2011. And he’s not a first ballot HOF’er? You’re full of ****
No, come to the Rangers.
I think he will go for 200 wins before he hangs em up.
I respect Kershaw big time as a Giants fan, but he shouldn’t feel content with his *championship. They played less than 1/2 a season and were gifted their Game 6 victory by Kevin Cash and the NLCS by the Braves atrocious baserunning. Do it in 162 Clayton, then retire and feel content. Yeah, I’m bitter LA finally won, but it’s still not a “real” championship honestly. Hardly any fans (less pressure), neutral sites (no pressure), and they played the Brewers without Burnes and Devin Williams, the Padres with basically no Clevinger or Lamet, and the Braves, who were up to snuff but choked their NL Championship away and handed it to LA. The Rays were pesky, but taking the ball out of Snell’s hands gave every bit of momentum to LA and it was over at that instant. As a Giants fan, we know about literally handing a trophy and momentum to an LA team by pulling a starting pitcher that was pitching lights out.
@SF, although we’re fans of the same team, we strongly disagree about the Dodgers’ WS win last year. Odd year in the game for sure, but IMO the Dodgers won it fair and square (and convincingly). I have no doubt that if last year, 162 regular season games were played, they still would have won. They probably will this year too. Don’t be a bitter Giants fan. We have lots to be proud of, and now, we’re going to have to endure two extremely formidable opponents in the NL west for some time to come.
@giantsphan12 props to you man! You are spot on, unlike the moron above. Dodgers went through the 2 best nl teams and the best al team in convincing fashion. Even without cash’s blunder rays had absolutely no chance of winning the chip. That’s just blatant hate right there.
you could have just stopped at “I’m bitter”…
Oh look a giant fan trying to discount dodger accomplishments. I’m stunned
I mean, he should at least win a world series in a year with 162 games, then see about hanging it up. Not that last year didn’t count, but winning this year would be equally as meaningful going from 60 to 162. Hopefully his back holds up. Not gonna put any money on that though
I can see him signing one more three year $90-$100 million dollar contract and maybe then realistically walk away.
He’s 25 wins from 200 – he’s coming back!
He’ll easily reach that milestone in the next year and a half if he stays semi-healthy with the Dodgers. He’s also less than 500 K’s away from 3000 strikeouts.
Kinsler was 1 hit from 2000 but..m
And the way he was playing they could have given him 100 more AB’s and could have never got it
If you pay him more than Bauer he’ll stay.
I honestly think Kershaw has become kind of underrated in today’s game. Ovbisously, he’s not the pitcher he was 3-5 years ago, but I’ve seen people write him off and say he’s washed. He’s still a top 10 pitcher in the game.
i think people have gotten Kershaw fatigue. moved on to guys like DeGrom and Scherzer when his numbers are still great. people were talking about him declining after 2018 seemigly simply because he pitched to an ERA over 2.50. if that’s a measuring stick for your “decline” then that’s a heck of a statement.
I don’t see him retiring unless he misses a significant portion of the season with back problems. That’s just something that never goes away, so I couldn’t blame him under those circumstances.
It’s nice to have the choice between playing baseball and spending more time with your family. I respect whichever decision he makes. He’s a bulldog on the mound. Tip of the cap.
The jockeying for an extension has begun.
Would the Dodgers, or any team for that matter, be willing to sign him long term? I think he’ll age fine. He doesn’t rely on velocity to get outs and only sits in the 90-92 MPH range with his four seammer anymore but is still extremely effective.
I wouldn’t put him in a hitter park like rangers and expect dodgers kershaw. He plays in the nl and a pitchers park, he would go up and earned run just shifting leagues probably more depending on division. Watch prices numbers this season, I expect in the 2’s as opposed to his time with Red Sox and the green monster and yankee stadium.
I think this is just something blown out of proportion by a reporter. I read these exact quotes a couple days ago on a different site and he was answering a question about his future as a dodger not about playing beyond this season
Relax. nothing new here, not the first time reports come out about him being tired and worn down as if he’s endured more than other players. Maybe he has maybe not but I ignore such reporting, Same thing happens to Trout, whenever he says something that festers the media and fans.
I imagine that it’s easy for Dodger fans to overreact to this. But he’s just an honest guy and for his fans there’s a lot riding on his every word. Some day he will retire though, and I’m guessing it wont be for the Rangers!
I think he wants to be in same HOF class as Alert Pujols..
Any word on if Albert will come back in 2022
no word that he isnt so one would assume he’d be interested in coming back at the right price.
Pujols? May sign a one year deal with the Cardinals so he can take one more professional plate appearance as a Cardinal.
As a Rangers fan – might as well come to Texas all your fans have moved here in the last 15 years and the California caravan to Texas is growing feel like this state is being colonized by Cali
i get that a lot from the los angelinos i talk to
I read so much about Clayton and Ellen and how committed they were not only to their children, but their faith and the work that God has called them to do to love and help others.
I hope it doesn’t happen but I would understand if it does and it even makes the signing of Bauer that much more understandable.
“Could it also be the final season of what will surely be a Hall Of Fame career?”
Geez, standards for the hall sure have sunk.
Have you not watched baseball for the last 12 years? In that time his WORST season ERA was 3.03 and three seasons under 2.00. He has ONE season with a k/9 under 9, and hasn’t had a BB/9 over 2.5 since 2009. If you are an old school guy and care about wins he has SIX 15 win seasons and has only every had double digits loses ONCE and that was a decade ago. You have to be trolling if you don’t think he is a no doubt HOF
They have sunk but you have to be kidding me if you don’t believe a 3-time Cy Young winner, 1-time MVP winner, 5-time ERA leader, 1-time pitching triple crown winner, etc, etc, etc… deserves a first ballot spot in the HoF. Kershaw could become the polar opposite of himself and still deserve a HoF nod.
Among starting pitchers with at least 1500 innings pitched since 2000 Kershaw is:
1st in ERA
1st in FIP
1st in WHIP
1st in ERA-
1st in HR/9
T-1st in FIP-
3rd in fWAR
4th in K%
5th in K/BB ratio
7th in total K’s
10th in pitcher wins
Let’s also not forget the 8 all star games, 3 Cy Young awards, 2014 MVP, 5x ERA leader, World Series ring, No Hitter and is already top 40 all time in fWAR.
He’s been the best pitcher in baseball for the last 20 years. How is that not a sure fire HOF?
I think everyone can agree kershaw is a likable guy. His work both on and off the field it’s hard to hate on him. Best pitcher I have seen in my generation
Kershaw is the best pitcher of this generation and a good man from everything I have heard.
This story Is a Pensky material
I don’t see why he would retire. He can literally get a contract of some sort until he’s 40. And even then, wouldn’t shock me if he can keep going if he wanted. Idk. I’m roughly his age and of course I dont play pro sports and dedicate my body to that life, but lord hard to picture passing up all that money to play a game. I mean, Shoemaker just got a 2 mil contract hasn’t been amazing nor healthy hardly at all. Made, 2 mil at the end of my career just to live the dream would seem like icing on top of the cake to me.
I don’t think it’s ever been about the money. Don’t get me wrong he has used the money he’s made in good ways. If it was about maximizing money he probably would not be a Dodger right now, or at least would have a longer term contract with the Dodgers. I think there could be something special about pitching in his hometown. Depends how he holds up physically, and I get the sense that if he starts getting to be average or mediocre he’ll pull the plug and retire sooner than later. He beats himself up so much over his performance that he won’t allow for that.
Maybe he goes year to year instead a longer term.
Rangers will offer Kershaw an ownership position in the team and future management role as part of a four-year player contract.
“I love it and still have a blast”
Not to mention… he’ll be paid more in a year than most anyone else will be paid in a lifetime… must be nice to face that dilemma…
I’m a Reds fan, but I’ve always respected this young man. Such an awesome career and should definitely walk off the mound for the last time as a Dodger.
Kershaw isnt a 32 start pitcher anymore The Dodgers are lucky iff they can get 24 starts out of him.. He has a herniated disc issue its well documented.. He has had surgery in the past in which it only eases the pain.. Same issue Big Gronk in the NFL has.. I wonder iff The Dodgers consider starting him once a week like the Angles does to Ohtani.. Orr may sound crazy but what about Kershaw finishes his career as a Dodgers Closer imagine him and Jansen 8 9 inning guys… Doubt he goes with that but, might be best that they limit his starts and innings.. Doo they really need him in April or May??? Thats the thing… The Dodgers will offer him a 3 yr extenson with Player opt outs every yr where he can opt out to Retire iff he choses too..
Please God, say it so. I’m so tired of watching him beat the Giants
Anyone that thinks that Kershaw isn’t a lock for a super high percentage of votes for a first ballot Hall of Fame is not much of a critical thinker, IMO.
antone, I agree but welcome to Murica.
know it probably won’t happen but i think he could extend his career and be the premier closer in the game if he chose to.
The issue is how many closers out there make over 25mil/yr?? He could pull a John Smoltz thooo but than he was a closer temp to build up strength after injury.. Same with Ryan Dempster..
I’d trade him right now and at least get somebody for him or future draft picks. Dodgers have plenty of starters. Imagine you’re an employer and you find out one of your employees isn’t sure if he wants to play anymore while making $35,000,000 a year? I guess Clayton is fine with the one World Series Title. Hmmmm okay. Trade him to the Rangers a perennial loser and just stupid enough to pay him $40 million a year. Then Clayton will finally be happy at home with his family. Baseball is a business and the Dodgers are becoming a dynasty so there’s no room for spoiled icons who no longer have the commitment to be great everyday.
Spoiled icons? You just don’t get it, do you? Sorry, but there’s more to life than your desire to gloat about other people winning championships.
I don’t get it? I’m a lifelong Dodger Fan. Had to wait 32 years for a World Series Championship. Endured all the losing seasons and playoff failures. I get it real good. Now we are on a winning track then your team leader says to the press he’s not sure if he wants to play anymore? I respect that but at $35 million a year? Sorry. He has to go.
Don’t tell me I don’t get. Glad to see you enjoy your life in mediocrity but for me It’s a part of my life that I’ve invested decades in and my parents and grandparents before me. Kershaw has been great and I appreciate all he has put into it and for that Dodger Fans will always be great full but to publicly announce you’re not sure anymore is an admission to being disconnected to the commitment it takes to win championships. Not what Dodger Fans or the organization wants to hear. Get a clue.
Kershaw doesn’t owe you or your parents or grandparents anything simpily because you’ve been a fan you’re entire life and you’ve seen a lot of losing. I also don’t see how it’s spoiled if he wants to set aside $35 million to be with his family. That sounds like the opposite of spoiled to me. The thought of retirement=/=the drive to win is gone.
Mario needs a nap.
You proved my point. He’s done. Btw, anyone making that kind of money playing a sport is spoiled.
Get over it. – Signed every Red Sox, White Sox, and Cubs fan.
Why do you care what other people make? Btw, what do you do for a living? Fair question since you are knocking someone else’s.
People don’t like to hear it, but pro athletes work way harder than the rest of us do.
Funny, I’ve been a Dodger fan since ’68 and didn’t “suffer” through all those non-championship seasons. That’s not what being a fan is all about. To real fans, it represents something more than that. Losing the final game of the season is not the end of the world. A good fan is disappointed but over it by noon the next day.
Falling short of winning the championship is not a failure. If it was, then most people’s lives would be a failure because they never reach the absolute pinnacle of their profession. What championships have you won?
Btw, the word is “grateful,” not “great full.” Stop making a fool of yourself. It’s pathetic that a guy who watches the games from his living room needs someone else’s championship to feel good about his own dreary life.
You’re criticizing him for being honest? I’m sure a lot of players think the same but keep it inside fearing backlash. He’s always said that he only wants to pitch if he pitches well. He has a different standard. He talks about living up to his contract. How many players do you know talk that way? Most complain that they don’t make enough. Haven’t heard him once complain about the money. He does a lot of good things with the money he earns but I think he understands that it’s not about the money.
There is a tremendous amount of gray area between what Kershaw said and how you interpreted it lol
Kershaw has 10-5 rights so any deal would require his permission.
Going by his own words, Kershaw seems to be one of the last players on the Dodgers I’d call spoiled. Everything I’ve read about the guy makes him seem like the kinda guy you want to root for in a player.
Clayton Kershaw is an all-time great pitcher and an even better person. It wouldn’t surprise me if this was his last year. Following him closely as a Dodger fan, it’s clear that he’s given a lot of thought recently to his life outside baseball. He seems genuinely interested in wanting to make a different kind of impact. I consider him a role model even for someone as old as myself. By the way, that last statement has nothing to do with Kershaw’s religious beliefs. I’m talking about him always striving to be a better person. That’s something we all should be trying to do.
Never thought I’d see Ewing a Sonic or Ichiro a Marlin or Brady a Buccaneer. But this stuff happens all the time.
As a non Dodger fan it wouldn’t bother me to watch him play for another club. It would be weird for sure but cool at the same time. It won’t keep him from the Hall, decked out in Blue.
Yes but all 3 of those name were/are at the end of their careers and with the obvious exception of Brady were not what they once were. Kershaw is still in a prime talent age and could probably have another solid 3-4 followed by a couple of not great but still pretty good years. My guess is unless Kershaw really wants to leave baseball or even just move on to another team you can expect the Dodgers to do everything they can to make sure Kershaw stays put.
Kershaw should want to win a legitimate title. Not some 40% season. It means NOTHING.
Yeppie? Quiet yourself..
By his early 20s, Kershaw had accomplished more than any of his critics will in their entire lives.
Btw, that title is in the record book the same as all the World Series winners. Why don’t you try growing up?
Maybe if your team won it would have meant SOMETHING.
Funny thing I noticed about Kershaw’s stats. IMO he’s one of the greatest fielding pitchers since Greg Maddux, but how many times has he received any votes for Gold Glove? Just once, in 2011 (when he won it).
I get the sense that this could be Kershaw’s last season as a Dodger. It may just be a mutual parting, or he could very well retire. Going past 2021, he will certainly be in some kind of decline, steep or not. The Dodgers need to re-sign some key players who will hit free agency. That won’t give them much wiggle room with Kershaw, and he may very well want to pitch his last few years with his hometown team, Rangers.
If it is his last season we will certainly enjoy looking back at his accomplishments. If he had stayed healthy he probably would have won at least one or two more Cy Young awards. He’s a class guy all the way. Fiery competitor, extremely dedicated hard worker, personable with his teammates and obviously has done a lot for his community and globally with his mission work. Will go down as one of the greatest Dodgers, and for sure a first ballot hall of famer.
Look at his stats last year. NOTHING suggests he’s on an imminent decline. Just stop making stuff up people. Just stop
Probably posturing in a walk year, but it would not be the worst thing to see a guy go out still in strong form. He has punched his HOF ticket and got his ring (with a great chance at another). If money isn’t everything to him, maybe he hangs it up before 40.
Anyone that knows Kershaw knows that he’s not motivated by money. If he does decide to pitch beyond 2021. It’s not because he’s getting offered an extra 10 million.
Pay the man! And more than Bauer
Kershaw will pitch for the Rangers next year. Deal with it…..
I doubt it.
He’s too good and too much of a competitor to play on a losing team.
No way he’s retiring. He can easily get to 200Ws and 3000Ks in a couple of good seasons. After its all added bonus for his Hall of Fame claim. He’s gonna be good for at least another 4 seasons
i will say this it would be a shame to see kershaw retire with anyone other the dodgers love em or hate em he has been one of the best pitchers in his generation and the face of the dodgers for a long time.
I think it would be tough o find anyone who actually hates Kershaw.
Championship ring*
No one thought he was. Just a newspaper reporter trying to create click bait headlines.
Direct quotes from Kershaw.
I read the original. Said it was clickbait then.
If so you were wrong then too. These were direct quotes from Kershaw. This was Kershaw being Kershaw. None of it surprised anyone who’s been following him over the years.
In the past, the Dodgers offered Kershaw a “lifetime contract,” but he felt overwhelmed by the lack of an end date, so he refused it. The Dodgers will work hard to keep him. If he should leave before retiring, I don’t think it will be the Dodgers fault.
Orel Hershiser and Fernando Valenzuela are each beloved by Dodger fans, but they also played for other teams. For fans, Sandy Koufax is on a higher plane not only for his stellar career, but also because he was only a Dodger. I hope Kershaw really considers this before possible playing for the Rangers or any other team. One day, hopefully far into the future, Kershaw may hold Koufax’s place in the hearts of Dodger fans. There is something very special about playing for only one team, especially nowadays.
The chances of him playing for Texas would be overestimated at zero. Whenever Kershaw decides to retire, it will be as a Dodger. Both the team and the player are motivated to make that a certainty.
This is great to hear, although I wasn’t buying the fact he was planning on retiring.
He never said he was planning on retiring. I wonder, did you read the article? At all?
They clearly misheard his reasoning – it’s not “he has plenty left in the tank,” it was actually, “I’m not retiring, I feel they have billions left in the bank.” Close, and it was loud in the room, but there you have it.
Non story, kind of like when Heyman called Heyman’s own VM and left a message about the Yankees in pursuit of Ozuna, only to write later they were never actually in pursuit despite prior “reports” connecting the two.
Translation:
Dodgers are going to offer me another 30million a year to keep pitching for a few years.
Every Giants fan: “****”
I am looking forward to the Dodgers going back to their dominate the Regular Season and get beat in the playoffs ways now that we are not going to be playing an abbreviated 60-game season. Right back to the same Dodger “Choke Show” come October. Trevor Bauer scares nobody. Bauer is an average pitcher every other year and never puts together back-to-back seasons. Let’s see how Bauer fares now that we are out of the 60-game season and every start won’t be against a weak-hitting NL Central team. Bauer and Yu Darvish should have been eliminated from Cy Young consideration last year because of the high number of starts against NL Central teams. It just wasn’t fair to have them essentially pitching the overwhelming majority of their games against AAA caliber hitters.
How’d your team do in that very easy 60 game season? That’s what I thought, Nancy.