3 Dodgers players who have one last chance to make impact in 2025

Life is good for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team is coming off its second World Series championship in five years, Shohei Ohtani won National League MVP honors in his first season with the team and the front office has already made some big splashes this offseason, most notably bringing in two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.

Even with Juan Soto heading to Queens, joining the New York Mets on a 15-year, $765 million deal, the Dodgers are clear-cut favorites in the Senior Circuit. Health is the only question facing this team, a group that is well-positioned to be the game's first back-to-back champs since the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000.

Given the stars on this team: Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Yoshinobu Yamamato - and so many others - you might look past some of the 'supporting cast'. But don't sleep on what that group means to the Dodgers. So much of this roster is locked up long-term, but here are three Dodgers players who could make one last impact in 2025, and might be moved if things don't work out.

3 Dodgers players whose 2025 seasons might be their swan song

3. This could be future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw's last year, coming off another ring in an injury-shortened 2024 season

Clayton Kershaw is destined for Cooperstown. There's no denying that. But there's also no point arguing that he isn't what he once was. When he's healthy, though, he's still capable of making hitters look foolish on any given day.

He leads all active pitchers with a sterling 2.50 ERA, which ranks 43rd all-time. He's notched 15 shutouts in his career, which includes 10 All-Star appearances, three Cy Youngs, an MVP, an NL Pitching Triple Crown and five ERA titles, not to mention a pair of World Series rings. At this point, his reputation speaks for itself.

The legendary left-hander turns 37 in March, and the 2,742 regular season innings on his arm are the third-most among active pitchers, trailing only Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. Last year, he managed only seven starts, battling several injuries. His season didn't start until July, as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery, and it was cut short by a big toe issue that kept him from pitching in the postseason.

"Obviously, I had some tough luck with my foot this year, I want to make use of this surgery," he said in October. "I don't want to have surgery and then shut it down. So, I'm going to come back next year, give it a go and see how it goes."

Given his age and the fact he was limited to just seven starts in 2024, some might ponder retirement. But Kershaw was an All-Star the year prior, going 13-5 with a 2.46 ERA. Over the last five years, his numbers remain elite: 85 games started, a 2.79 ERA, 4.99 K/BB ratio and a pair of World Series rings. When he's been on the mound, he's been effective - and with a full offseason to get ready for next spring, there's hope for a big bounce back campaign.

It would be shocking to see him pitch anywhere other than Los Angeles after spending 17 seasons with the Dodgers. Money is obviously no issue to ownership - and, like Kershaw said, he wants to get some use out of the shoulder surgery he underwent prior to this year.

Watching Kershaw turn back the clock one more time, teaming up with Yamamoto, Ohtani, Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin to form what has the makings of the best rotation in baseball, would be an amazing bookend on his nearly-two-decade career. Kershaw deserves to go out on top, not only as a World Series champion, but as a force in the Dodgers rotation.

Oh, and don't forget - he's just 32 strikeouts shy of that 3,000 mark, further incentivizing him to come back with a vengeance and help the Dodgers defend their crown.