Potential Post-Lockout Roster Additions, Part IV: Rangers Sign Clayton Kershaw
While baseball's owners and players continue their silence amid the sport's ninth work stoppage, we've looked at potential moves the Texas Rangers could make once the lockout is over. So far, we've looked at the possibility of trading for All-Star first baseman Matt Olson, dove into the Rangers' interest in a trio of Cincinnati Reds starting pitchers and gauged Texas' chances of landing Japanese slugger Seiya Suzuki.
Now, to wrap up this series, we're taking a closer look at the Rangers' interest in luring Clayton Kershaw to his hometown area. While this scenario might be the most likely for the Rangers, it is far from a sure thing.
First, let's take a look at Kershaw's on-field status. He's coming off a season where he missed more than two months in the middle of the season with a forearm injury, then re-aggravated it in his final start of the regular season, which sidelined him for the Los Angeles Dodgers' postseason run to the National League Championship Series. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection for the injury, and scans revealed no damage to his ulnar collateral ligament, which is great news for avoiding Tommy John surgery.
However, the true test of Kershaw's health will come to light over the next several weeks. The 33-year-old hurler was set to begin his offseason throwing program sometime during the lockout, and courting teams will learn how his arm responds once they are permitted to communicate with him once again (Major League clubs are restricted from talking to big-league free agents and players on 40-man rosters during the lockout).
When he was healthy last season, Kershaw was still a very effective pitcher. No, it's not the Kershaw of old. However, he still posted a 10-8 record with a 3.55 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 3.00 FIP and 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings in 22 starts. The Rangers would absolutely welcome a pitcher with that kind of production.
Not to mention, Kershaw is the ideal candidate to set the precedent for a winning culture among a young Rangers pitching staff. Texas currently has arms like Dane Dunning, Taylor Hearn, A.J. Alexy, Glenn Otto and Spencer Howard lined up for big league innings, with a prized prospect like Cole Winn potentially set for his big league debut at some point in 2022. The Rangers have never had this kind of depth at pitcher in their history, and having arguably the best pitcher of the last quarter century leading the way would provide value beyond production on the mound. Establishing culture is still a high priority for the Rangers, and adding a pitcher with Kershaw's pedigree would be a huge addition.
Off the field, the Rangers have a significant advantage over other suitors: geography. As a matter of fact, many in the industry believe Kershaw will end up in one of two places: re-sign with the incumbent Dodgers or sign with his hometown Rangers.
Though he has spent his entire career with the Dodgers, Kershaw is still closely tied to his hometown of Dallas. He and his family live there during the offseason. He has season tickets to the Dallas Mavericks, and he was one of several athletes in attendance for the recent retirement of Dirk Nowitzki's No. 41 jersey.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in February, the Kershaws made it sound like signing with Clayton's hometown team is at least an intriguing option. Two of the Kershaw children are of school age, and staying in Dallas would surely make the school year a bit easier.
The Rangers are fully aware of Kershaw's interest in remaining closer to home. Manager Chris Woodward told MLB Network in November that they had at least been "in contact" with Kershaw.
"If he wants to come back to Texas, I'm pretty sure we're gonna welcome him here," Woodward said in the November interview. "It's home for him. I know he'd love to take his kids to school then go pitch a game that night. But it's up to him. He's had a tremendous legacy."
Kershaw would have many familiar faces if he signed with Texas. Woodward was the third base coach of the Dodgers in 2016-2018. Rangers new hitting coach Tim Hyers was also a coach with the Dodgers during that time, along with Seth Conner, who the Rangers just hired on Thursday to be the new assistant hitting coach.
In addition, former Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager signed a 10-year, $325 million mega contract with the Rangers, and has already admitted to recruiting Kershaw to Arlington. Remember, clubs cannot talk to players during the lockout, but players can talk to each other.
This all may sound like the Rangers are the surefire favorite to land Kershaw. However, the legacy that Woodward mentioned cannot be ignored. Kershaw will undoubtedly go into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot, donning a Dodgers cap on his plaque. The relationship between the Dodgers and Kershaw is very strong. In fact, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made it clear that the decision to not tender Kershaw a qualifying offer—which makes it easier for other clubs to pursue him with no risk of draft pick compensation—was out of courtesy and respect.
"I think just with our respect for him and for what he's done for this organization, that wasn't something that we wanted to do and put him on that kind of clock when he wasn't ready for it," Friedman said in November. "If he wants to come back, we will absolutely work together to make that happen. If he doesn't for whatever reason, that's his right. He is going to drive a lot of what he wants to do next year."
Kershaw could very well reward the Dodgers' classy decision with a return to Los Angeles. Then again, the Rangers are a much more attractive destination than they were a few months ago. With the additions of Seager and Marcus Semien, they have arguably the best middle infield in baseball and a farm system that is trending upward and about to produce some of its most exciting prospects over the next couple of seasons.
Kershaw will be one of the most monitored names on the free agent market once baseball opens back up for business, and the Rangers are very much in the running. Even if the odds are 50/50, those are the best of any potential post-lockout addition.
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