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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw Issues Statement About Important Career Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Conor Liguori | Last updated May 16, 2025 6:39 PM ET

Even though the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2024 World Series, some players on the injured list didn't get the same gratification as active players.

One Dodgers legend who was on the shelf for most of last season and missed out on pitching in last year's Fall Classic was Clayton Kershaw. Los Angeles's title was their first since 2020 over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kershaw underwent left shoulder surgery in March 2024, and left big toe inflammation cut his season short at the end of August. He made just seven starts and posted a 4.50 ERA.

The lefty will first appear in 2025 on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels after undergoing toe surgery during the offseason. Still, the 37-year-old recently said that if he were healthy for last year's playoffs, he may not have returned for his 18th season in MLB.

"Yeah, if I was able to be a part of last year’s run and win a World Series and get to go out like that, that would have been really cool," Kershaw told the Los Angeles Times' Jack Harris."But I wasn’t. And it was still really fun to be part of. But it made it easier to want to come back."

Kershaw joins a Dodgers rotation hampered by injuries to Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow, and Blake Snell. He brings many accomplishments throughout his career, but he's not the same level of pitcher he once was.

Kershaw is a three-time Cy Young Award winner, a 10-time All-Star, and he won the 2014 National League MVP. He was the ace of the Dodgers' pitching staff for over 10 years, but knows his time to hang up the cleats is fast approaching.

"Somebody will tell me to retire at some point, I’m sure," Kershaw told Harris.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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