Walker Buehler is set to take the mound for the Dodgers during the 2024 season, but the same cannot be said about Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw is still a free agent on the open market, and his future is undecided.
LA recently signed Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which does not leave a ton of room for Kershaw. The projected rotation for the 2024 season is Yamamoto, Buehler, Glasnow, Bobby Miller, and Emmet Sheehan.
However, Buehler does not want to see the Dodgers move on from Kershaw. He is rallying the team to re-sign the veteran lefty and keep him a Dodger for life.
"NO!" stated Walker Buehler when talking about the Rangers' interest in Kershaw.
Clayton Kershaw is coming off a spectacular 2023 season. He started 24 games, compiling a 13-5 record with a 2.46 ERA on 131.2 innings of work. It was a good enough season that he was voted to his 10th All-Star Game.
However, there are some concerns when it comes to Kershaw. After the season, he underwent a shoulder operation to repair the glenohumeral ligaments and will miss a portion of the 2024 season.
He is expected to return to the mound somewhere during the summer, but that timetable could change anytime. This is a reason that he may not have signed a new contract yet.
Walker Buehler will have to do his best to keep Clayton Kershaw with the Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw is a special pitcher, and even at the age of 35 can still carve up batters. He feels good about how the surgery went and is already starting to prepare for his return.
If Walker Buehler wants the Dodgers to re-sign Kershaw, he will have to up his game. There are plenty of teams that will be willing to take a stab at Kershaw.
One of these teams that have come out with a strong interest in acquiring the veteran lefty is the Texas Rangers. They are looking for frontline starters, with Jordan Montgomery on the open market.
The Rangers are coming off their first World Series title in franchise history. That could be something that entices Kershaw to sign.
However, Kershaw has something special in Los Angeles. He has been with the team for his entire 16-year career thus far. Seeing him in something other than the Dodger Blue would be difficult to get used to.