Rumors: 3 possible landing spots for Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw is not only one of the most prolific pitchers in the history of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he is also a free agent for the first time in his illustrious career.
While it may seem unthinkable, it is very possible that, in 2022, Kershaw will wear something other than a Dodgers uniform for the first time in what will be his 15th Major League season. On the flip side, it’s also possible that the 33-year-old southpaw and the Dodgers will be able to come to a deal that will allow him to continue his Hall of Fame career at Chavez Ravine.
Let’s look at three teams that could land Clayton Kershaw for the 2022 season
We will start with the most obvious one: The Dodgers. When we last saw Kershaw on the mound, he was walking off after throwing just 1.2 innings on October 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers after a left elbow issue popped up yet again. The elbow was a detriment to Kershaw all season as he made just 22 starts while posting the highest ERA of his career since his rookie campaign.
Questions about his elbow are still raging as the offseason moves along, with Kershaw reportedly scheduled to begin throwing again before Christmas to see how his elbow is progressing after an offseason regimen that included plenty of rest and no surgery.
Remember that the Dodgers didn’t make a qualifying offer to Kershaw. Projections have him signing a one-year, $20 million deal, which is more than the qualifying offer would have been. Kershaw has also seen one-year contracts handed out to Justin Verlander and Noah Syndergaard for more money than that this offseason.
Los Angeles may eventually cost itself more money to bring Kershaw back, but ensuring his arm health is where it should be is likely more important to the franchise than saving a few million dollars.
Here are the reasons why Clayton Kershaw could sign this offseason with the Texas Rangers
Hailing from the Dallas area, the pitch for the Texas Rangers to Kershaw is simple: Come home and be a part of a team that is rebuilding to compete for the American League West title.
Texas has already shown this offseason it is willing to spend, inking Marcus Semien and Kershaw’s former teammate Corey Seager to nine-figure deals. Additionally, Texas spent money to upgrade its rotation by bringing in one of Kershaw’s former division foes in Colorado Rockies pitcher Jon Gray. It’s logical that the Rangers would still have money in the budget to sign Kershaw and continue rebuilding their rotation from the team that lost 102 games in 2021.
Seager has already admitted that he has talked to Kershaw this offseason, and that conversation likely included a potential reunion in the Lone Star State. From a World Series MVP (Seager) to a National League MVP (Kershaw), bringing in some Dodger blue and turning it into Ranger blue would be a huge benefit to a franchise that already has offseason momentum and MLB’s newest stadium to pitch to its fan base.
The Kershaw-to-Texas thought process makes a lot of sense and, if there’s one team that could wrestle Kershaw away from southern California, it’s very likely it’s his hometown team that is on an offseason spending spree.
Could the Boston Red Sox sign Clayton Kershaw this offseason?
Sure, the Red Sox have a potentially potent 1-2 combination at the top of their rotation with Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Sale, but what happens after that? Inserting Kershaw into the rotation not only gives Boston another veteran arm, but also plenty of postseason experience, an ingredient that should be very appealing to a team that fell to Houston in the American League Championship Series in 2021.
Boston lost starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez early in the offseason and we talked in this article about what kind of impact that could have on the Red Sox rotation. If Boston is looking to improve its rotation, outside of Kershaw and Carlos Rodon, the top tier pitching options will be very limited once the lockout ends.
During all of his great seasons in Los Angeles, Kershaw has just one World Series ring. Could a team like the Red Sox give Kershaw the chance to cement his legacy even further by dominating as an American League pitcher as well?
Next. The players that connect Jackie Robinson to Clayton Kershaw. dark
Kershaw has pitched just one time in his career at Fenway Park, giving up five runs and seven hits in four innings of Game 1 of the 2018 World Series. Perhaps the Red Sox will surprise MLB fans and give Kershaw a chance to make Fenway Park his home park in 2022.