Clayton Kershaw, a first-ballot Hall of Famer turning 37 next month, isn’t letting injuries dictate the end of his career.
Despite undergoing multiple offseason surgeries, the Dodgers left-hander is committed to returning for an 18th season — even if it means starting on the 60-day injured list.
Kershaw, who spent most of last season recovering from shoulder surgery, had additional procedures in November to address issues with his left knee and foot. The recovery process was challenging, keeping him on crutches for a month before transitioning to a walking boot.
“With the shoulder, you can still walk and do a lot of stuff,” Kershaw said. “I was back to being a normal dad pretty quick. But being on crutches, being in a boot, having every step kind of hurt, it was hard. I don’t know if I expected all that a foot surgery entails, but [I’m] thankful now to be on the other side and feel like I’m getting closer to being 100 percent.”
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Injuries limited Kershaw to just seven starts last season, during which he posted a career-high 4.50 ERA and was unavailable for the postseason. Watching from the sidelines as the Dodgers won the World Series only reinforced his desire to keep playing.
“It just didn’t feel like it was the right time, even though we won [the World Series], you know, being on the shelf for that wasn’t the way that I had scripted it out,” Kershaw said. “Still super thankful to be a part of it last year, and you get to see everything, but I want to be out there when it happens. So that was a good motivating factor, for sure.”
That motivation is also why Kershaw was determined to travel with the Dodgers for the season opener in Tokyo against the Cubs, even if he won’t be ready to pitch.
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“Obviously, I won’t be ready, so I don’t know how that works,” Kershaw said last month. “But if I’m able to work out and stuff and be around, I’d love to. I don’t think you could get many opportunities to go to Japan with Shohei [Ohtani], so I think that’d be pretty cool.”
On Wednesday, manager Dave Roberts confirmed Kershaw will be in Tokyo with the team.
As he prepares for his return, Kershaw remains focused on finishing his career on his own terms.
“I don’t want [injuries] to be the reason that I stopped playing,” he said. “I don’t want to be, like, ‘I just can’t do it, [I’m] hurt.’ Hopefully, I can walk out on my own terms, whenever that is.”
Photo Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
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