Clayton Kershaw Isn’t Anywhere Close to Being Finished

Clayton Kershaw Isn’t Anywhere Close to Being Finished

Yes, Clayton Edward Kershaw is back in Dodger blue. He’s about to embark on his 16th season as a ballplayer for Los Angeles, and there is much to be excited about. After all, the 34-year-old is still one of the best pitchers in the game.

The Dodgers dished out $20 million to re-sign their long-time ace Friday to a one-year deal. Kershaw’s pay actually increased by $3 million from the previous season, which is interesting as he is older. His stats prove otherwise.

Despite missing his usual time, the lefty went an impressive 12-3 with a 2.28 ERA, a 0.942 WHIP and a FIP of 2.57. Kershaw was dominant when healthy, even starting the All-Star Game for the National League. He also nearly pitched a perfect game in his very first start of 2022.

The Dodgers are smart to only give him $20 million as he is injury prone yet very effective. Kershaw is indeed a future Hall of Famer, and it’s safe to say he’ll probably finish his career with L.A. based on his last two seasons.

There is a feeling, however, that he still has something to prove. Even though the Dodgers won the World Series in 2020, this was only a 60-game season with few fans in the stands. I’m sure part of Kershaw wants to hear the roar of Dodger Stadium after winning a Championship.

Dave Roberts and Andrew Friedman seem to have figured out how to use Kershaw, and keep him as effective as ever. Kershaw is the veteran presence in a relatively young staff with names like Julio Urias, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May.

This being said, there’s a feeling that Kershaw will also be a mentor to these younger pitchers. Last season, lefty starter Tyler Anderson had the season of his life. It was easy to see Kershaw’s influence on the young starter, especially in pitch selection and delivery.

Kershaw is a vital cog in this Dodger team. Re-signing him was important as any signing the Dodgers could’ve made. It will be interesting how his 2023 campaign goes.

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