Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw tells the crew before the game on “MLB on FOX” that he is playing in 2025

Clayton Kershaw won’t be taking the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers again this year, regardless of how far the team goes in the postseason. But he plans to return in 2025 and make the most of his surgically repaired shoulder, he told MLB on the FOX pregame show before Game 2 of the National League Championship Series.

“Mentally I feel great,” Kershaw said in response to a question from David Ortiz. “I had shoulder surgery last offseason and my shoulder, my elbow, everything – my arm feels great. Of course I was unlucky with my foot this year, but I want to take advantage of this surgery. I don’t want to. I’m going to have surgery and turn it off. So I’ll come back next year and try it and see how it goes.

Kershaw underwent shoulder surgery shortly after the Dodgers were eliminated in the 2023 National League Division Series by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Recovery from this surgery kept him out of action until he made his season debut on July 25. However, he only made seven starts, leaving his last on August 30 in the second inning due to a toe injury.

Kershaw attempted to heal the injury in time to rejoin the Dodgers’ shorthanded starting lineup in the playoffs, but failed and was ruled out for the remainder of 2024.

“Clayton did everything he could to move things along and give himself a chance to compete in the postseason,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters at the time. “But where he is right now, physically, the foot, the toe, is just not cooperating. It’s actually getting worse.”

The 36-year-old Kershaw had a 4.50 ERA in those seven starts, by far the fewest number of starts and highest ERA the 10-time All-Star has recorded in his career.

Despite his absence from the playoffs, the Dodgers’ pitching staff set an MLB postseason record with 33 scoreless innings, with Kershaw watching every move from the dugout. That includes a dominant 9-0 victory over the New York Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS on Sunday behind seven scoreless innings from Jack Flaherty, an L.A. native who watched Kershaw as a child.

“Just the collective effort was the coolest thing to see,” Kershaw said. “It was anyone’s business. Obviously last night’s ‘flare’ pitch and being able to go seven innings really set up our game today for a bullpen game. You have to give our bullpen a lot of credit for what they do.” They were able to start with that bullpen game in San Diego [in Game 4 of the NLDS] until now. You can say so much about any man, man. It was great to see.”

Kershaw, both personally and as a senior member of the Dodgers, has been no stranger to playoff disappointment over the years. LA appeared to be on a similar path, losing 2-1 to the rival San Diego Padres in the NLDS. But then began their pitching staff’s scoreless streak, which allowed the Dodgers to win three straight and not only advance to the NLCS, but also take the lead over the Mets early in the series.

That prompted Derek Jeter to ask Kershaw what made this Dodgers team different from years past.

“It’s hard to compare years,” Kershaw said. “I feel like we’ve had great teams in the past and no disrespect to the other teams I’ve played on in the past. But this year, this group of guys just feels really resilient. There’s no giving up.” It doesn’t matter whether we’re down 6-0 or up 6-0. It was always the same fun to be a part of every single inning, especially when we step back and watch. With this group of guys, you can really tell there’s a heart beating. It’s a collective, so to speak.

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