![\"Brandon](\"https:\/\/dodgersnation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/USATSI_24647057_168396005_lowres.jpg\")
<\/p>\nClayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, chose to decline his $10 million player option with the Los Angeles Dodgers, opting for free agency instead.<\/p>\n
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The 36-year-old battled injuries for much of last season, ending with a 2-2 record and a 4.50 ERA across seven starts.<\/p>\n
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes joined MLB Network Wednesday morning to clarify what is really going on with Kershaw and why he opted to decline.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think for Kersh it\u2019s kind of see where he\u2019s at into the offseason and continue to talk with his family and see how he comes on the other side of a couple things that he\u2019s having done. Obviously, we want Kersh back.<\/p>\n
He wants to be back but I think it\u2019s very much like let\u2019s see how these next few months play out to see what position he\u2019s in.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur hope is to continue to have conversations and hopefully, Clayton is a Dodger for life.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The legendary lefty also called himself a \u201cDodger for life\u201d during the World Series Celebration at Dodger Stadium promising the fans that he will be back which is why his decision to opt out caught many by surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know (how that will play out),\u201d he said during the festivities. \u201cI\u2019ll be back, somehow. I don\u2019t care. I\u2019ll be back.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n During the National League Championship Series, Kershaw joined the FOX pregame show and said he planned on pitching again in 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cMentally, I feel great. I had shoulder surgery last offseason, and my shoulder and elbow, everything, my arm, feels great,\u201d he said. \u201cObviously, I had some tough luck with my foot this year.<\/p>\n 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<\/p>\n \u201cI just thought everyone kind of assumed and knew I was coming back,\u201d he added the following day. \u201cI didn\u2019t really think about it. I\u2019m going to be a Dodger.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n From what Gomes and Kershaw have both said, the future of Kershaw in Los Angeles is certain \u2014 but for how long and for how much is to be determined.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Clayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, chose to decline his $10 million player option with the Los Angeles Dodgers, opting for free agency instead. The… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6137,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n