Clayton Kershaw injury update proves Dodgers just keep re-signing him as a courtesy

The Dodgers made their re-signing of Clayton Kershaw official on Thursday and moved rookie River Ryan, who underwent Tommy John last year, to the 60-day IL accordingly. Unlike last season, there was never any doubt that Kershaw would return to the Dodgers; a World Series win that he was forced to sit on the sidelines for was certainly strong incentive for him to come back and try again in 2025.

Last year, he said he came back to the Dodgers because he believed they'd put themselves in the best position to win — a little bit of an obvious sentiment, but not an incorrect one. Their chances are even better this year with all of their offseason additions, and they have a 19.2% chance of winning the World Series (per PECOTA) before the season's even begun.

But, realistically, how big a role will Kershaw be able to play in 2025? His contract, one-year and $7.5 million guaranteed with a lot of incentives, certainly didn't make it seem like the Dodgers truly believe he'll be able to avoid injury even after he comes off the IL.

To that point, Kershaw said he expects to start the year on the 60-day IL, which is also unsurprising after his two surgeries this offseason. The Dodgers would never turn Clayton Kershaw away as long as he wants to pitch, but how much will he plausibly be able to do?

To no one's surprise, Clayton Kershaw expects to start 2025 on Dodgers' 60-day IL

It isn't as though Kershaw has never been good in the postseason, but his struggles have certainly eclipsed his greatness. He pitched very well in two starts against the Rays in the 2020 Fall Classic, but it wouldn't be surprising if all of the dismissal of the Dodgers' win that year has gotten to him a little bit. In his other two trips to the World Series, in 2017 and 2018, he has a 5.50 ERA, and everyone knows about his near-constant struggles in the NLDS.

Kershaw wants to come back, be healthy, and be pitch well throughout the entire postseason — a simple goal, maybe, but one that's getting exceedingly harder the older he's gotten. The amount of escalators the Dodgers built into his contract acknowledge his worth to the organization and his legacy, but it also exercises caution.

Kershaw said he expects to come off the IL as soon as his 60 days have passed. For both his and the organization's sake, hopefully things actually work out that way. Otherwise, the groundwork is being laid for Kershaw to eventually become a coach, as most of his influence the last couple years has come in the form of imparting wisdom upon his teammates and the organization's younger players.