(East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: Great news for Dodgers Nation as the Big Blue has contracted with its 2020 World Series Champion, 10 x All-Star, and 2014 National League MVP, Clayton Kershaw, for his 17th season as a member of the Club. A player option was included for the 2025 season. Read the full story below in the press announcement recently issued by the team. 

CLAYTON KERSHAW RETURNS FOR 17th SEASON WITH THE DODGERS

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers signed left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw to a one-year contract with a player option for the 2025 season.

Kershaw, 36, returns for his 17th season with the team, which is third all-time in franchise history, behind Zack Wheat and Bill Russell, who wore Dodger blue for 18 years. He becomes the second Los Angeles Dodger to play 17+ seasons with the Boys in Blue (joining, Russell, 1969-1986), the 77th player in Major League Baseball history with 17+ seasons with the same club, and is currently the only active player in Major League Baseball with 17+ years of service with the same team.

Last season, Kershaw went 13-5 with a 2.46 ERA and 137 strikeouts in 131.2 innings. He received his 10th All-Star nomination after going 10-4 with a 2.55 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 16 starts in the first half of the season. He tied Pee Wee Reese for most appearances in franchise history and become the 74th player in Major League Baseball history with double-digit nods to the All-Star Game and the ninth pitcher ever, joining Warren Spahn (17), Mariano Rivera (13), Tom Seaver (12), Roger Clemons (11), Steve Carlton (10), Whitey Ford (10), Randy Johnson (10) and Juan Marichal (10).

During his 2023 campaign, he also recorded his 200th victory on April 19 against the Mets, joining Don Sutton as the only players in Los Angeles Dodgers franchise history with 200+ wins, and he recorded his 210th win of the season on September 23rd, passing Don Drysdale for second all-time in wins in Dodger history. He posted his eighth campaign with an ERA below 2.50 (min. 20 starts) and his ninth overall (excludes 2020), and is now the only player in Major League Baseball history (since 1913) with eight seasons with an ERA below 2.50, ahead of Walter Johnson (7), Grover Alexander (7), Greg Maddux (6) and Juan Marichal (6).

In 16 seasons with Los Angeles, the left-hander has a record of 210-92 with an ERA of 2.48 and 2,944 strikeouts and a 1.004 WHIP, and ranks second in franchise history in wins, first in ERA, strikeouts and WHIP (1.004). He is 56 strikeouts away from becoming the 20th player in Major League Baseball history with 3,000 strikeouts and only the fourth player ever to do it all with the same team, joining Bob Gibson (3,117 with St. Louis Cardinals), John Smoltz (3,011 with Atlanta Braves), Steve Carlton (3,031 with Philadelphia Phillies) and Walter Johnson (3,508 with Washington Senators).

The 2014 National League MVP and three-time Cy Young Award winner (2011, 2013, 2014) was originally drafted by the Dodgers with the seventh overall pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft out of Highland Park High School (TX). The Dodgers will honor the left-hander on Sept. 25th with a bobblehead night against the San Diego Padres.