Kershaw re-signs with Dodgers, expects to return for 17th season in summer
Clayton Kershaw is staying in Los Angeles.
The Dodgers announced on Friday that they re-signed the veteran left-hander to a one-year contract with a player option for 2025.
Welcome back, Clayton! pic.twitter.com/fI6fhzYBI5
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 9, 2024
The deal will pay Kershaw a base salary of $5 million in 2024, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. He'll have the chance to earn another $7.5 million in performance bonuses based on his making between six-to-10 starts this season.
The player option is guaranteed to pay Kershaw $5 million in 2025 if he exercises it next winter and could jump higher if both bonuses are hit in 2024 and through additional escalators in '25. That means he could potentially earn up to $25 million over the life of the deal if he reaches every bonus over the next two years, per Sherman.
Kershaw, who'll turn 36 in March, is expected to miss the first half of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in November. He began his post-surgery throwing program last week.
"I'm on a good path right now," Kershaw said Thursday, according to David Brandt of The Associated Press. "I'm excited about getting ready to pitch again at Dodger Stadium. That sounds fun."
He added: "Summer is about as good as I can do (for a return). It's probably not early summer. ... I would say July-ish, August-ish, somewhere in there."
Right-hander Tony Gonsolin was moved to the 60-day injured list to make room for Kershaw on the 40-man roster. Kershaw will presumably be moved to the 60-day IL at some point before Opening Day.
The three-time Cy Young winner has spent his entire 16-year career with the Dodgers, emerging as one of the best starting pitchers in franchise history.
Kershaw enjoyed another strong campaign in 2023, posting a 13-5 record with a 2.46 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 137 strikeouts across 131 2/3 innings.
He'll join a rotation group that features offseason additions Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and James Paxton, as well as young arms Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan. Right-hander Walker Buehler is also expected to join the rotation in the early part of the season as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery.