Los Angeles Dodgers Set to Make History With MVP-Riddled Roster After Clayton Kershaw Deal
The Los Angeles Dodgers already had a star-studded roster before they reportedly re-signed pitcher Clayton Kershaw on Tuesday, but now they have once again taken things to a historic level.
Kershaw, who turns 36 years old in March, is coming back for his 17th season in Los Angeles. The veteran ace is a 10-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young and one-time MVP, going 210-92 with a 2.48 ERA, a 1.004 WHIP, 2,944 strikeouts and a 79.9 WAR over the course of his career.
According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, the Dodgers are set to become the sixth team in MLB history to have four or more former MVP Award-winners appear for them in a single season. Los Angeles already had outfielder-turned-second baseman Mookie Betts and first baseman Freddie Freeman penciled into the lineup, as well as record-breaking free agent addition Shohei Ohtani.
Kershaw is actually the only one in the quartet to win an MVP in a Dodgers uniform, since Betts did it with the Boston Red Sox, Freeman did it with the Atlanta Braves and Ohtani did it – twice – with the Los Angeles Angels.
The Dodgers were the most recent franchise to achieve the feat, doing so in both 2021 and 2022. Before that, however, it had only been accomplished by the 1996 Red Sox, the 1982 California Angels and the 1978 Cincinnati Reds.
As a result of Kershaw's decision, the Dodgers will now have as many seasons with four-plus MVPs as the rest of the league combined.
In 2021, the Dodgers had Kershaw, Betts, outfielder Cody Bellinger and first baseman Albert Pujols. In 2022, they swapped out Pujols for Freeman.
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