LOS ANGELES -- Longtime Dodgers star and current free agent Clayton Kershaw announced on Friday that he underwent surgery on his left shoulder, specifically to repair the glenohumeral ligaments and capsule. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
While it is unclear how long Kershaw will be sidelined, the likely first-ballot Hall of Famer did announce that he is “hopeful to return to play at some point in the summer.” Kershaw, who has signed one-year deals with Los Angeles each of the past two seasons, had not previously committed to pitching in 2024.
In the Dodgers’ end-of-season press conference, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made it clear that the club will bring Kershaw back next season if that’s what the left-hander and his wife, Ellen, ultimately decide. Kershaw could also decide to pitch with the newly minted World Series champion Rangers in order to stay close to his Dallas-area home.
This is the first time in his career that Kershaw has undergone any type of surgery on his throwing arm. In 2021, Kershaw received a PRP shot after suffering a left elbow injury in his last start of the regular season.
Kershaw suffered the injury on June 27 in a start against the Rockies. Initially, the southpaw was hopeful that he wouldn’t need a stint on the injured list. But after a meeting with Dr. ElAttrache in July, he was advised to take a few weeks off from pitching. Kershaw returned to the mound on Aug. 10, but it was clear that he was still being bothered by the injury.
In his starts after returning from the IL, Kershaw’s velocity on his four-seam fastball was often down two or three miles per hour from his season average. His wipeout slider also took a hit, and he didn’t have his usual command of the signature curveball. Due to pain tolerance, Kershaw leaned on the changeup more than he has in previous seasons.
Despite being hindered by the injury, Kershaw finished the season as the Dodgers’ top starter, going 13-5 with a 2.46 ERA. He earned his 10th All-Star appearance with a superb first half. Kershaw led all Dodgers pitchers with 24 starts and 131 2/3 innings across the season. It didn’t, however, end the way he hoped.
In Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the D-backs, Kershaw suffered perhaps the worst start of his career, allowing six runs and retiring just one batter. Kershaw was in line to start Game 4, but the Dodgers were swept in three games.
Heading into the offseason, the Dodgers were already going to be one of the most active clubs in the starting pitching market, and that will only intensify now that Kershaw won’t be in the mix until at least late in the summer.
With the Dodgers also expected to decline Lance Lynn’s $18 million club option, they are thin on starters at this point in the offseason. Bobby Miller is the best among those who will return, with Walker Buehler expected to be fully recovered after missing the 2023 season following Tommy John surgery. Ryan Pepiot, Emmet Sheehan and Gavin Stone are also expected to contribute again in ‘24. The free-agent market includes top Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Aaron Nola, Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell, the latter of whom is the NL favorite for the Cy Young Award, which would be his second.
What the Dodgers end up doing remains to be seen. But now it’s clear that, for the first time in over a decade, Kershaw won’t be on their active roster on Opening Day. The future beyond that is also very much unclear.