LOS ANGELES – Three former MVPs had been current at DodgerFest on Saturday, with rookie Shohei Ohtani becoming a member of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman on stage in entrance of Dodger Stadium followers. The door stays open for a fourth former MVP, Clayton Kershaw, to return as nicely.
Saturday was the tenth iteration of a Dodgers fan fest, relationship again to 2013, the Guggenheim Companions possession group's first full yr. It was the primary with out Kershaw already on the roster.
Kershaw has been a mainstay with the Dodgers, a franchise icon with three Cy Younger Awards and an MVP underneath his belt. His 16 years of pitching for the Dodgers match Don Sutton for essentially the most in franchise historical past. The Dodgers actually need to make it 17, a minimum of.
“I talked to Clayton a number of days in the past by way of textual content. He stated his rehab goes very well,” supervisor Dave Roberts stated Saturday. “We all know one another, we're going to be in contact and speak. He's all the time been a Dodger, and that's additionally our hope.”
Kershaw will bear surgical procedure in November to restore the glenohumeral ligaments and capsule in his left shoulder, an damage that restricted him on the mound within the closing three months of 2023, culminating within the worst begin of postseason of his profession in Recreation 1. of the NLDS.
“[My wife Ellen and I] type of got here to the conclusion that if I wished to play once more, I would want to get my shoulder again. It was robust,” Kershaw stated in an interview with David Vassegh on Dodger Discuss in December. “It took a number of weeks to assume, speak and pray. Ellen and I lastly had been like, 'You understand what? I'm not executed,' and on the similar time I didn't need my shoulder to harm anymore and I believed this was the easiest way to do it.”
The Dodgers have made no secret of their want for Kershaw to pitch his complete profession for them.
“We're persevering with to remain in contact with Clayton,” basic supervisor Brandon Gomes stated Saturday, “and we're making progress.”
Rehabilitation from shoulder surgical procedure will seemingly maintain Kershaw out till a minimum of after the All-Star break. He may additionally change the calculation on his traditional desire low season to go from yr to yr. Alden González at ESPN wrote Saturday that Kershaw “is extensively anticipated to finally signal a two-year contract.”
As all the time, it's as much as Kershaw to both return to the Dodgers or pitch along with his hometown Rangers, who’re coming off a championship this yr. Kershaw stays shut buddies with Texas basic supervisor Chris Younger, and both were together Wednesday to have their jerseys retired by Highland Park High Schoolhis alma mater.
The Dodgers' 40-man roster is at the moment full — as is the Rangers' roster — however Los Angeles can start utilizing the 60-day injured listing to open spots as early as Thursday, when pitchers and catchers report back to Camelback Ranch. Tony Gonsolin is anticipated to overlook the 2024 season after Tommy John surgical procedure, Dustin Could will not be anticipated again till after the All-Star break on the earliest after elbow surgical procedure, and Nick Frasso revealed Saturday who had undergone surgical procedure in November to restore a tear. labrum in his proper shoulder, and he may not pitch this season.
At any time when Kershaw decides to signal, the Dodgers or Rangers will certainly make room, and he may even put him on the IL 60 days later whereas he rehabs from his personal surgical procedure. However there doesn't appear to be a way of urgency as to when Kershaw would possibly make his determination.
“I feel his timing proper now’s to dominate the rehabilitation course of, and do one thing when it is smart,” Roberts stated.
