LA Dodgers manager Dave Roberts attended the DodgerFest held at Dodger Stadium on the 4th (Korea Standard Time) and said, “I exchanged text messages with Clayton a few days ago. He said his rehabilitation is going well. We have been communicating throughout the negotiations. He is always a Dodgers player. We hope that, too. His position seems to be to say, ‘Do something when you think it’s okay,'” he said.마카오카지노주소
Kershaw had surgery on his left shoulder in early November after the end of last season. This means that the contract with Dodgers can be signed only when Kershaw is able to pitch in real time after rehabilitation. In other words, Kershaw seems to have expressed in haste that he is not immediately needed.
However, Shohei Ohtani was definitely the main character of “Dazerfest,” which ended successfully with about 35,000 fans gathered that day.
Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700 million FA contract in December last year and wore a Dodgers uniform, officially took his first step as a “Dodgers member” in front of fans.
“I am confident that I will play in the opening game this season,” Ohtani, who appeared wearing a jersey with his uniform number “17,” said. “My rehabilitation is going as planned in the batting category. When I go to the Arizona camp, I will start to speed up my swing speed.”
After receiving Tommy John Surgery on September 20 last year, he has been rehabilitated smoothly and virtually promised to participate in the “Seoul Series,” the official opening event against the San Diego Padres, which will be held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul from March 20 to 21.
All the fans and media at the event focused on Ohtani. Kershaw was the face of the club for more than 10 years at Dodger Fest, a fan-club meeting event held ahead of the annual spring training, and it is no exaggeration to say that it was a coronation ceremony held without him.
MLB.com said, “For the first time in more than a decade, there was someone missing from the 40-man roster. It’s Clayton Kershaw who won three Cy Young Awards. After undergoing shoulder surgery, Kershaw is still an FA,” adding, “The Dodgers will not close the door on the possibility of bringing back Kershaw, the best pitcher in the history of the franchise.”
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said at the event, “Definitely, the door to renewal of contract is open. We are in constant contact with Clayton. Progress will be made.”
Kershaw has been suffering from injuries for the past three years, but he has produced his best results on the mound. Last year, he pitched 131 ⅔ innings in 24 games despite being away for 40 days due to a left shoulder injury, recording 13 wins and 5 losses, 2.46 ERA, 137 strikeouts and 1.063 WHIP.
Kershaw has been on the injured list six times in the past three years, and started 68 games, recording 35 wins and 16 losses with an ERA of 2.75. He was named an All-Star for the last two years in a row, reminiscent of his heyday. When he was healthy, he was still a candidate for the Cy Young Award.
“I hope to return next summer,” Kershaw said of the timing of his return after undergoing shoulder joint reconstruction surgery in early November last year.
The problem is that he is an off-season free agent. Kershaw, who renewed his contract with the Dodgers for one year after playing in the FA market for the past two years, clearly does not have a chance to sign a contract this time. With uncertain timing of his return, no club wants to invest “big money” in his mid-30s. For this reason, chances are high that he will eventually renew his contract with the Dodgers.
Even if he retires now, he will enter the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He has 210 career wins, three Cy Young Awards, 10 All-Stars, five ERA titles, three strikeouts titles, and was even named the National League MVP in 2014. His career is similar to Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax, who reigned in the 1960s.
Kershaw pitched in nine opening games, the most in Dodgers history. It is no exaggeration to say that Kershaw quietly handed over the Dodgers’ flagship armband to Ohtani on the day.
Kershaw may have predicted the fate of starting the first game of the division series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Oct. 8 last year and losing six runs in the first inning.