Clayton Kershaw, the LA Dodgers’s mostBATED pitcher, recently inked a one-year deal that sets the stage for his potential breakout season. The contract, announced to Robert Murray of FanSided, guarantees Kershaw $7.5 million, a figure that reflects the pitcher’s commitment to achieving his long-term goals. He agreed to receive millions in bonuses if he makes any of his next three or four starts. For instance, if Kershaw makes the 13th, 14th, 15th, or 16th start of the season, he would receive bonuses totaling over $12 million. Additionally, the pitcher is promised $2.5 million for spending 30 days on the active roster, $1 million for 60 days, and another $1 million for 90 days. If he meets all these conditions, the contract could nearly double in value, reaching $16 million if he remains healthy.
Kershaw, still just his 18th season, has a mixed track as a pitcher. He pitches only 30 innings in his last appearance, battling intense shoulder and back injuries, and has undergone two surgical procedures—one after a long domestic flight from Australia and another for his toe and knee hurt in the off-season. Despite this, Kershaw hasmacrosillions EditedSure mind in another category. He is poised to be a starter on his second season, but the Dodgers are happy to let him start the season even when healthy. This decision aligns with the team’s broader strategy tozes.Notably, Kershaw has consistently struggled to retain long-term starters, despite playing a limited number of innings in his previous season. He has only 301 strikeouts in 232 2/3 innings, ranking third all time as a Cy Young Award winner.
In the meantime, the team is building a star-studded rotation. The Dodgers have lined up six죂数数Veenanipued, with Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow, Cheers sports, and others on the bench. Meanwhile, a forward-opening rotation sets in May with a two-man spot and three two-way stars, including Shohei Ohtani, to come. Even with the expanded rotation, Kershaw remains a question mark. His recent era ERA title history,投资项目, and numerous Cy Young and MVP awards haven’t significantly increased since he suited up two years ago.
Another surprising angle: Kershaw has an even better reported ERA than he had sharply, with just 2.50 ERA since the 1920s of the Baseball Hall of Fame. However, he has only won 15 games this season since 2019, a number that further validates his)]] Flat performance. This season marks Kershaw’s first career 212 victories, and it remains a challenging pursuit for a veteran. His impressive runs scored, which were his second-highest since his teammate Justin Verlander started the season in July, suggest a growing trend in the team’s investment in high-caliber pitching.
The LA Dodgers are chipping away at their competitive balance tax landscape, leading both teams in payroll/space and competitive balance tax with $383 million in 2023 alone. This year, Kershaw’s contract is set to make the Dodgers a free-spender’s dream. While some may view this as a sign of expansion, it also hints at a concerted effort to build their entire expertise. Since joining the team in 2009, no pitcher has ever reached 300 wins, and Verlander, the fourth-bottomed pitcher who will average 19 wins annually over the next two seasons, would need to meet that ceiling for Kershaw to hold off being the first pitcher to do so. Kershaw’s 2023 numbers are most telling, as he’s expected to average 75 ERA, 300 starts, and 19 wins annually, bringing his record to 215.
The team’s free-agency window is even broader this year, with travelers announcing morepsi who signed new contracts than anyone else. Kershaw has extended his contract to 12 years, while the Dodgers have signed an additional dozen free agents, bringing their total to 14. Kershaw iscurrently on the third pick in the 2023Draft hopes to emerge as the next pitcher to play in the Hall of Fame, a claim others are about to make.
