Clayton Kershaw suppressed some of the questions about his future with the Los Angeles Dodgers, saying on Sunday that he would “absolutely” consider re-signing with the team after his contract ends this season.
The future Hall of Fame pitcher will be 33 years less than two weeks before Opening Day, and with that distant championship in his back pocket, there is a perception that this could be his last year in baseball, let alone with the Dodgers.
That perception was reinforced by a Los Angeles Time profile published earlier this month, in which Kershaw said he had not discussed an extension with the Dodgers and was unsure whether he wanted one.
“I’m on a year-over-year basis,” said Kershaw during his first media availability of the season. “I want to reassess at the end of each year and see how we are doing – as a family, me personally, where we are as a team – and then just make a decision from there. I have no intention of I am only 32 years old. I have more years in the tank.
“If you ask me now, I really still love to play, I feel healthy now, I feel like the ball is coming out well. I’m excited for this year, and that’s all I wanted to say [by his answer in the LA Times profile] . I’m focused on this year and trying to win a World Series, and after this year we’re going to find out. “
Kershaw is a three-time Cy Young Award winner who has already consolidated his place as a first vote Hall of Famer. But he experienced a kind of career revival during the short 2020 season, regaining some lost speed to end the regular season with 2.16 ERA, 62 eliminations and just eight hikes in 58 1/3 innings.
Kershaw signed a three-year extension, $ 93 million, right after the 2018 season and will earn $ 31 million, part of which as a signing bonus, in the last year of his business.
The Dodgers will exceed the luxury tax limit this year and have accepted the strong possibility that they will do it again in 2022. They also have the impending free agencies of Corey Seager (after the 2021 season), Cody Bellinger (after 2023) and Walker Buehler (after 2024) to consider.
But those decisions are not expected to affect his ability to retain Kershaw, a source familiar with the team’s thinking told ESPN. If Kershaw finally wants to stay in LA beyond 2021, the Dodgers would be motivated to find a way to make that happen.
“I love being here,” said Kershaw. “I love the Dodgers, I love everything about this organization. I feel very happy to have had as many opportunities as I did to win a World Series, and now that we finally won one, you just don’t take it for granted. I really liked my time here and I continue to do so. “