Clayton Kershaw Reveals He's 'Not 100 Percent Yet' for Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers outspent just about every other club in Major League Baseball this offseason, but fans were arguably most excited for a player who signed with the defending champions on a modest $7.5 million contract.

Clayton Kershaw was spotted in Dodger blue at Camelback Ranch in the early days of spring training, an indication he would be returning to the team he's called home for the last 17 seasons. The excitement for Kershaw's return was also evident from his teammates.

During the team's first bullpen sessions of the spring, Kershaw observed newcomers such as Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki alongside president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. Although Kershaw wasn't able to throw alongside Snell or Sasaki, he was visibly excited to watch the pitching reinforcements ramp up for the 2025 season.

Kershaw underwent two offseason surgeries, which presented its own set of challenges for the veteran southpaw.

“With the shoulder, you can still walk and do a lot of stuff,” Kershaw said. “I was back to being a normal dad pretty quick. But being on crutches, being in a boot, having every step kind of hurt, it was hard. I don’t know if I expected all that a foot surgery entails, but [I’m] thankful now to be on the other side."

Though Kershaw won't be competing in the Tokyo Series, he will be traveling with the team to Japan on Wednesday. The veteran is aiming to make his 2025 debut sometime in June, but he will be eligible to return from the injured list at the end of May.

Earlier this week, Kershaw gave a huge update about his recovery process this spring. He has thrown off a mound a few times, but is not yet at full form.

"It’s not 100 percent yet but it’s getting there," he said. "Feels good."

It'll be interesting to see how the Dodgers utilize the longtime L.A. pitcher upon his return, but fans will no doubt be eager to witness the 36-year-old back on the hill.

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.