Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw Will Sign with Rangers or Retire Says Former Teammate
As the MLB lockout continues, so does the speculation on where longtime Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw will sign once free agency restarts.
This offseason marks the first time in Kershaw's 14-year MLB career that he is a free agent.
A common narrative for free agents, in any American sport, is that said athlete could sign with their hometown team. For Clayton Kershaw, that would be the Texas Rangers. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, one of Kershaw's former teammates believes there's a possibility that the lefty returns to Texas.
"One former teammate of Dodgers three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw believes that he’ll either pitch for his hometown Texas Rangers or retire, and not return to the Dodgers. Kershaw has not publicly provided any clues.”
Anonymous quotes don't hold a ton of water, but there is already a high-profile "former teammate" of Kershaw's on the Rangers - shortstop Corey Seager.
Kershaw and Seager were teammates for seven seasons in LA. Seager has previously confirmed that he's had "talks" with "Kersh" since signing his ten-year, $325M contract with Texas before the lockout shut everything down.
Could Seager be Nightengale's source?
Kershaw retiring doesn't sound very likely based on his comments about preparing for 2022 in a recent interview on the Dan Patrick Show.
"I’m continuing to prepare like we’re going to start on time, but each day it just seems like we’re getting further and further from that.”
Of course, Dodgers fans would prefer that Kershaw re-signs with the only MLB team he's ever played for.
