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 at the start of the offseason, electing free agency.

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.

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.

Before the postseason even came to its conclusion, Kershaw had announced he did not plan on retiring after the 2024 season.

“Mentally, I feel great. I had shoulder surgery last offseason, and my shoulder and elbow, everything, my arm, feels great,” Kershaw said. “Obviously, I had some tough luck with my foot this year. But I want to make use of this surgery. I don’t want to have surgery and shut it down. So I’m gonna come back next year and give it a go and see how it goes.”

General manager Brandon Gomes provided the latest update regarding the team’s communication with the longtime pitcher.

“He’s continuing to heal and build up from the procedures he’s had,” Gomes said at the Winter Meetings. “We’ll just stay in touch. As I said, I hope and our expectation is that Clayton will be back next year, and whenever he’s ready, if we’re fortunate enough to bring him back, we’ll plug him in.”

The future Hall of Famer has publicly said he wants to retire with the Dodgers, calling himself a “Dodger for life”.

“I just thought everyone kind of assumed and knew I was coming back. I didn’t really think about it,” Kershaw said during the playoffs after announcing he would play another season, but not specifying for what team. “I’m going to be a Dodger.”

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.

Photo Credit: Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

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