GLENDALE, AZ – As the MLB lockout thankfully ended a week ago, many wondered what the free agency frenzy would look like coming out of the gates, specifically for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Most of the buzz surrounding the Dodgers linked them to former NL MVP and reigning World Series champion Freddie Freeman, who still remains unsigned amidst a shrinking market.
While Freeman might be one of the top names on the wish list, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman felt it was equally important to address their pitching staff, specifically their starting rotation. That is why one of the first moves out of the lockout was bringing back their longtime veteran ace Clayton Kershaw.
The Dodgers re-signed Kershaw on a one-year deal worth $17 million putting to bed any rumors the three-time Cy Young Award winner was going to the Texas Rangers to play closer to his hometown of Dallas or retire after suffering a major elbow injury last October which sidelined him the entire 2021 postseason.
Friedman said his first call out of the lockout was to Kershaw as he believed keeping the future Hall of Famer was the team’s number one priority.
“Keeping Kersh in Dodger blue was our number one priority coming in,” Friedman said when spring training started for the Dodgers. “Through our conversations, (we) felt confident but not knowing for sure and post-lockout he was the first phone call I made and we worked quickly to get it done.”
While there are still concerns about his health especially after suffering one of the worst arm injuries of his career late last year, there’s no doubting the impact he has on the rotation and the team when healthy.
Once the undoubted number one of the Dodgers pitching staff, the soon-to-be 34-year-old Kershaw now slides into the number three role behind Walker Buehler and Julio Urias who are coming off great seasons a year ago.
However, what a luxury to have one of the game’s greatest pitchers of all-time be your third best option of a rotation and if healthy, can still go out and dominate the opposing lineup. Not to mention Kerhaw doesn’t have to do as much of the heavy lifting in the rotation as he did for the majority of the last decade.
It’s not just what Kershaw does on the mound that’s significant to this Dodgers team, it’s also what he brings in the clubhouse. It’s his leadership, experience, his work ethic, his preparation, and his intense drive to win that will set a high standard for the rest of the team, especially for the young pitchers and those are significant reasons why Kershaw is considered a Dodgers legend.
Also, considering there is still a lot unknown about how the Trevor Bauer situation will play out, keeping Kershaw was huge for Friedman and the Dodgers. At least now they have someone who can still be elite and give it everything they have when called upon every fifth day.
