Clayton Kershaw Declines Player Option From Dodgers, Enters Free Agency

Los Angeles Dodgers future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw has declined his player option for 2025 and has officially entered free agency.

While Kershaw won’t be accepting his player option, he’s already made it clear he not only wants to return for the 2025 season, but wants to do it with the Dodgers.

“Mentally, I feel great. I had shoulder surgery last offseason, and my shoulder and elbow, everything, my arm, feels great,” Kershaw said on the Fox Sports pregame show. “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.”

The next day, he clarified that he wanted to return with the Dodgers.

“I just thought everyone kind of assumed and knew I was coming back. I didn’t really think about it,” Kershaw said. “I’m going to be a Dodger.”

Kershaw also called himself a “Dodger for life” during the World Series parade.

Kershaw will sign a new contract with the Dodgers at some point this offseason. It would make sense for him to sign a two-year deal with a player option in the second season so he can, again, decide on his future next offseason.

Kershaw’s 2025 season could be delayed as he undergoes surgery on both his toe and knee. He made just seven starts in 2024, and didn’t pitch in the postseason