![\"Clayton](\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AA1tD0kg.img?w=768&h=530&m=6&x=1250&y=260&s=369&d=369\")
<\/p>\nThe Los Angeles Dodgers are still expecting Clayton Kershaw to return next season, per MLB insider Jon Heyman. The veteran southpaw declined his $10 million player option at the start of the offseason, electing free agency.<\/p>\n
Kershaw, 36, has dealt with several injuries in the past two seasons, but his shoulder is reportedly fine. The 10-time All-Star underwent two surgeries in November, one to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and another to fix a ruptured plantar plate and bone spurs in his left big toe. Kershaw is still recovering from both surgeries.<\/p>\n
In just seven starts throughout the 2024 campaign, he went 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.500 WHIP, 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a -0.3 WAR. Kershaw did not make his first appearance for the Dodgers until July. It was a rough season for the veteran, who missed the entire postseason.<\/p>\n
Before the postseason even came to its conclusion, Kershaw had announced he did not plan on retiring after the 2024 season.<\/p>\n
\u201cMentally, I feel great. I had shoulder surgery last offseason, and my shoulder and elbow, everything, my arm, feels great,\u201d Kershaw said. \u201cObviously, I had some tough luck with my foot this year. But I want to make use of this surgery. I don\u2019t want to have surgery and shut it down. So I\u2019m gonna come back next year and give it a go and see how it goes.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n General manager Brandon Gomes provided the latest update regarding the team\u2019s communication with the longtime pitcher.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s continuing to heal and build up from the procedures he\u2019s had,\u201d Gomes said at the Winter Meetings. \u201cWe\u2019ll just stay in touch. As I said, I hope and our expectation is that Clayton will be back next year, and whenever he\u2019s ready, if we\u2019re fortunate enough to bring him back, we\u2019ll plug him in.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The future Hall of Famer has publicly said he wants to retire with the Dodgers, calling himself a \u201cDodger for life\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI just thought everyone kind of assumed and knew I was coming back. I didn\u2019t really think about it,\u201d Kershaw said during the playoffs after announcing he would play another season, but not specifying for what team. \u201cI\u2019m going to be a Dodger.\u201d<\/p>\n The renowned lefty has spent all 17 seasons of his MLB career with the Dodgers. The team selected Kershaw in the first round of the 2006 MLB draft and the southpaw made his big league debut in 2008.<\/p>\n Photo Credit: Owen Ziliak\/The Republic \/ USA TODAY NETWORK<\/em><\/p>\n Have you subscribed to our<\/em>\u00a0YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Los Angeles Dodgers are still expecting Clayton Kershaw to return next season, per MLB insider Jon Heyman. The veteran southpaw declined his $10 million player option… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":22367,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n