Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw is staying in the Los Angeles family and will take on a role within the organization, according to a new report.
Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports that Kershaw will be joining as a “Dodgers special assistant” with a role that is not totally clear, but it will keep him a part of the organization.
“I think I’ll be involved… I still want to be a part of the Dodgers, so if I can help in some small piece, I will,” Kershaw said before Friday’s game about his new role, per Sonja Chen.
Kershaw has already moved on from playing baseball, with his new gig as an analyst for NBC.
He is already thriving in his post-playing career, but the Dodgers want to gain access to the knowledge, wisdom, and know-how in Kershaw’s brain.
Kershaw is the best pitcher in Dodgers history, taking home an MVP, three Cy Young Awards, a Triple Crown, five ERA titles, 11 All-Star appearances, and three World Series titles.
He has been the Dodgers’ ace since his second year back in 2009, and he has held that title through the twilight of his career, when he lost considerable velocity and failed to stay healthy.
The southpaw has seen the old Frank McCourt ownership leave and Guggenheim come through the door, bringing modern innovations to the front office and roster.
Moving forward, his old-school knowledge, combined with his exposure to modern baseball, would make Kershaw a valuable voice, especially when it comes to pitching.
Over the NBC broadcast on Opening Day, Kershaw was flexing his insight into the art of dealing from the mound, something the Dodgers can lean on.
Clayton Kershaw’s impact
Baseball aside, Kershaw has been key to the Dodgers’ locker-room culture, even as his abilities began to dwindle.
He had young pitchers Emmet Sheehan and Jack Dreyer stay at the legend’s home in Los Angeles while his family left, rather than in a hotel.
The impact that the moment had on the players highlights what Kershaw meant to the deal, from top to bottom.
“So Kershaw reached out to a pair of young Dodgers pitchers. The left-hander had championed Emmet Sheehan since he was an ascendant rookie in 2023, and now Sheehan had returned from Tommy John surgery and was thriving,” Ardaya wrote in a story about Kershaw’s leadership.
“Jack Dreyer had gone from undrafted to unheralded to one of the best relievers on a superteam as a rookie. Both players planned to stay at a hotel for the rest of the season, until Kershaw, whom they greatly admired, invited them to stay with him.
“Over a handful of nights out by the beach and evenings spent by the fire pit, Kershaw connected with teammates a decade his junior. They talked about life as much as they did baseball.”
One Response
As my favorite dodger ever! I’m very excited to see him in a role with the organization. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet.