Injuries limited Clayton Kershaw to just seven total appearances this season, and next season is already looking like it will be an uphill battle for him too.
Addressing reporters after the Los Angeles Dodgers’ championship parade on Friday, the veteran lefty Kershaw revealed that he is set to undergo two more surgeries next week. Kershaw will be having surgery on his left big toe (where he is dealing with bone spurs and a ruptured plantar plate) as well as on his left knee to repair his meniscus, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
The 10-time All-Star Kershaw said just a few weeks ago however that he intends to return for the 2025 season. Kershaw also went viral during the parade for his very emotional speech.
Clayton Kershaw: Dodger for life pic.twitter.com/o7P0Ecvudy
— MLB (@MLB) November 1, 2024
Kershaw has a $10 million player option for next season, but that is the least of the Dodgers’ concerns with him. Set to turn 37 before Opening Day 2025, Kershaw has seen the injuries pile up in recent years. That included this year as Kershaw did not debut until late July after undergoing offseason surgery on his left shoulder. He then lasted just seven starts and posted a 4.50 ERA before the toe issue ended his season in late August.
Now the reigning champions, the Dodgers will have an interesting situation with their rotation next season. Kershaw’s status is obviously completely up in the air, and both Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty are free agents this winter. But with Shohei Ohtani slated to return as a pitcher in 2025, the Dodgers might be in good shape if they can also get Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, and some other arms back from injury. It should also help that Kershaw will be a bit less expensive for the Dodgers next season since he failed to achieve some notable contract incentives this season.
