3 moves for the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason

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Oct 27, 2020; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) celebrates after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays to win the World Series in game six of the 2020 World Series at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

The Los Angeles Dodgers need to bring back Clayton Kershaw

Can you imagine Clayton Kershaw in any other uniform other than the Dodgers? We can’t either. It just makes too much sense to have Kershaw as a part of the Los Angeles rotation in 2022.

MLBTradeRumors is predicting Kershaw will sign a one-year, $20 million deal to prove himself past the elbow and arm injuries that cut his season short in 2021. The Dodgers did not extend a qualifying offer to him, so inking him to a deal like this would actually be more than Los Angeles would have paid for him had they extended the qualifying offer. However, when you’re talking about a three-time Cy Young Award winner, eight-time All-Star, and former MVP, throwing in an extra million or so doesn’t seem so bad.

Kershaw has said he expects to avoid any kind of surgery this offseason and be ready to compete when 2022 spring training begins. If the Dodgers are confident in his health, bringing back Kershaw would not only add stability to the rotation, but also ensure one of the players most associated with the franchise since he made his MLB debut in 2008 remains in Dodger blue.

Could the Dodgers bring back both Max Scherzer and Kershaw in 2022? Of course, depending on how wide they want to open the wallet. Both would be ideal in a perfect world, but Scherzer’s cost versus Kershaw’s will likely come into play in that decision as well.

Yes, the Dodgers will be taking a chance on bringing Kershaw back, but it’s absolutely one they should make.

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