Los Angeles, CA - April 18: Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw reacts after striking out New York Mets' Tommy Pham to end the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday April 18, 2023 in Los Angeles, CA.(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw Have Agreed to Terms on New Contract for 2025 Season
Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to terms on a new contract, per ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez.
“Clayton Kershaw is at the Dodgers facility playing catch,” Gonzalez wrote on X. “He and the Dodgers have agreed to terms on a new contract, per source, though he still has to finish going through his physical.
Kershaw was spotted at Camelback Ranch on Tuesday working out with the team. Now, it’s clear why, as he and the Dodgers have reached agreement on a new contract, pending a physical.
There was no question all offseason long that Kershaw and the Dodgers would reunite for the 2025 season.
During last year’s National League Championship Series, Kershaw made it known he wanted to return for the 2025 season with L.A.
“Mentally, I feel great. I had shoulder surgery last offseason, and my shoulder and elbow, everything, my arm, feels great,” Kershaw said. “Obviously, I had some tough luck with my foot this year. But I want to make use of this surgery. I don’t want to have surgery and shut it down. So I’m gonna come back next year and give it a go and see how it goes.”
He later added: “I’m going to be a Dodger.”
Then, during the World Series parade, Kershaw emphatically called himself a “Dodger for life.”
“I’ve waited for this day for a long time. I’ve waited to celebrate for a long time. I can’t imagine being anywhere else right now, and I can’t imagine doing it with a better group of guys than this group right here,” Kershaw said to the fans.
“I’m at a loss for words, but I didn’t have anything to do with this championship, but it feels like the best feeling in the world that I get to celebrate with you guys. Two-time champs and a lot more coming. Let’s go!
“I love you guys, thank you! Dodger for life!”
Kershaw made just seven appearances in 2025 after dealing with multiple injuries. Kershaw underwent multiple surgeries this offseason on his toe and knee, and has no timetable for a return.
Kershaw is just 32 strikeouts away from reaching 3,000 in his career. Only 19 players in MLB history have reached that feat.
Evan Phillips watched from the front row as the Dodgers secured their World Series victory over the Yankees last October, but he never got the chance to step on the field. A shoulder injury kept him off the roster, making the experience even tougher to process. The frustration of knowing he could have been out there weighed on him, and he struggled to cope with it at home.
Phillips’ injury was more severe than the Dodgers initially indicated and will likely force him onto the injured list at the start of the 2025 season.
