After a wild season the place the Dodgers spent about $1.2 billion, the 2024 workforce has turn out to be among the finest groups in all of baseball — on paper.
The workforce's most up-to-date addition — the re-signing of franchise icon Clayton Kershaw for his seventeenth season in Dodger blue — brings a jolt of pleasure for followers who need to see their former face of the franchise give a remaining finale within the twilight of his profession.
The choice for Kershaw's return was sparked primarily by the catastrophe that was his most up-to-date begin in Recreation 1 of the 2023 NLDS towards the Arizona Diamondbacks, however he’s again for one more season after receiving surgical procedure of the shoulder was the toughest choice that Kershaw made in his life.
Invoice Plunkett of the Orange County Register writes about Kershaw's choice to return, noting that Kershaw doesn’t have a definitive timetable for his return to the mound.
“I've by no means made an enormous choice in my life,” mentioned Kershaw who mentioned at Camelback Ranch and took his physicals Thursday. “I obtained drafted by the Dodgers. I married the identical lady from highschool. I didn't have numerous selections to make alongside the way in which. This was actually sort of the primary offseason the place I had some selections to make and I wasn't simple … Actually, I believe the summer season is pretty much as good as I can do,” he mentioned. “It's in all probability not the start of summer season. … I hate to say a schedule as a result of if it goes beneath or out, it's not good. However I say July-ish, August-ish. Someplace. Not a I'm not.”
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Kershaw now had an opportunity to speak about celebrity Shohei Ohtani who’s his new teammate.
David Brandt of the Related Press writes about Kershaw's return to the Dodgers, noting how the 36-year-old feels about Ohtani dealing with the pressures that include taking part in for a perennial playoff-caliber workforce.
“He appears to have an ideal head on his shoulders and he can deal with it,” Kershaw mentioned. “Actually, it needs to be good for our different guys. Mookie (Betts), Freddie (Freeman) are superstars in their very own proper, however the focus will likely be on Shohei 24/7.”
Alden Gonzalez of ESPN has extra on Kershaw's prognosis after present process shoulder surgical procedure, noting that not having him able to go on opening day was a aid for the southpaw.
“The liberty of not making an attempt to arrange for a complete season could be very good,” Kershaw mentioned. “It's simply going to be a dash after I come again. There's somewhat little bit of consolation in that, actually. You don't must be prepared on April 1. You might be prepared at any time when it's in the summertime and be able to go.”
Along with his 10-year, $700 million contract, Shohei Ohtani will turn out to be the richest participant in Main League Baseball historical past when all is alleged and executed, however the place he ranks amongst among the richest athletes not solely in Los Angeles, however in all. of sports activities?
Invoice Shaikin of the Los Angeles Instances compares Ohtani's earnings to that of fellow Los Angeles celebrity LeBron James, in addition to different higher-earning worldwide athletes.
“In fact, Ohtani agreed defer $68 million of his wage yearly. So, with $2 million in wage and $50 million in endorsements, the place would Ohtani have ranked at $52 million? Among the many 30 highest paid athletes on the planet.
The Dodgers had an offseason for the ages, touchdown the most effective total participant and beginning pitcher available on the market, amongst different notable additions.
The Athletic's Tim Britton, Grant Brisbee and Aaron Gleeman handed out offseason grades for all 30 groups, giving the Dodgers an A grade. The Dodgers have been the one workforce within the Nationwide League to obtain that grade, with the Baltimore Orioles being the one baseball workforce to obtain an A grade.
