Kershaw and Dodgers Agree to Terms for 18th Season
After weeks of speculation, the L.A. Dodgers and future Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw have crafted a contract that will bring him back for his 18th season. The deal, which still requires a physical before any formal announcement, is expected to range between $5 million and $10 million, with additional performance incentives.The agreement comes as no surprise after Kershaw's proclamation of being "A Dodger for life" during last year's World Series championship parade. While free agency had previously sparked talk of the veteran possibly finishing his career with his hometown Texas Rangers, those scenarios never materialized, and Kershaw remains set on concluding his career in L.A.The 2024 season saw Kershaw sidelined for the first four months following November shoulder surgery. He managed just seven starts, finishing with a 4.50 ERA before a major left toe injury kept him off the field for the remainder of the year. Further evaluation in the offseason identified a ruptured plantar plate and arthritis in his toe, leading to November 2024 surgeries on both his knee and toe. The southpaw is expected to make his season debut in June.At 36, Kershaw approaches a significant milestone this season: he sits just 32 strikeouts away from becoming the 20th pitcher in baseball history to join the 3,000-strikeout club. The achievement would add another highlight to his already Hall of Fame-worthy career.
Get Your Daily Dose! Sign up for The Daily Brief to receive Los Angeles Magazine's latest stories directly in your inbox. Subscribe below or by clicking here.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cubs' World Series Aspirations Hinge on Acquiring a Lockdown Closer at Trade Deadline
Cubs' World Series Aspirations Hinge on Acquiring a Lockdown Closer at Trade Deadline originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Cubs are one of the best teams in baseball, with a 49-34 record and a two-game lead in the NL Central. Their high-powered offense ranks third in the league, according to FanGraphs, and is feared throughout the majors. While Chicago's starting pitching rotation could use another marquee arm at the deadline, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd did a tremendous job in the absence of Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele. Now, with Imanaga back, the focus of Chicago's trade deadline plans shifts to the bullpen – primarily the closer role. Advertisement ESPN's Jesse Rodgers recently spoke about Chicago's World Series aspirations and why they may hinge on their aggressiveness to acquire a lockdown closer. 'You knew they were serious about the World Series [in 2016] when they went out and traded for Aroldis Chapman,' Rogers told Lance Brozdowski on the Cubs Weekly Podcast. 'You'll know really how serious the Cubs are in terms of going all the way if they replace Palencia with someone better and more experienced. Because it feels like a little bit of a luxury right now the way Palencia is pitching to go out and get another closer.' Shutting down the ninth inning is a necessity during the playoffs. It is rare for teams to succeed in October with a patchwork bullpen or a closer-by-committee and be successful. It is not impossible, but the odds of winning a World Series increase with a secure closer. Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (11) smiles before a game between the Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Porter Hodge was the Cubs' initial closer, but a stint on the injured list thrust Daniel Palencia into the role. Palencia, 25, has been stellar in 27 appearances, pitching to a 1.86 ERA and converting eight of his nine save opportunities. Advertisement While Palencia and Hodge have done enough to keep the Cubs atop the NL Central standings, adding another elite bullpen arm will only deepen their chances of contending for a World Series. A reunion with Chapman is a possibility, but is not the only option. The Baltimore Orioles will likely be sellers, leading to Felix Bautista potentially being available, and even Nationals' All-Star Kyle Finnegan could be an underrated addition to Chicago's pen. The Cubs currently hold the third-best record in baseball, setting themselves up for a postseason appearance. Yet, if they want to increase their World Series odds and further cement their standing among the MLB's elite, acquiring a premium closer should be on the trade deadline itinerary. Related: Cubs Showing Interest in $67 Million Former Yankees Ace This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.


Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Which 10 Players Have the Most Hits in MLB History?
Ted Williams, one of baseball's greatest players, said the hardest thing to do is to hit a baseball. He might be right. Even the best hitters in MLB history fail to record a hit in most of their at-bats. The player with the best batting average in MLB history hit .366 in his career, meaning he failed to record a hit in nearly 45% of his at-bats. What's more, no player has hit .400 in a season since Williams did so in 1941. That said, you know you're special if you're among the top 10 in MLB hits. Let's take a look at who makes that list. 10. Paul Molitor: 3,319 Molitor was arguably one of the most consistent hitters of all time, recording 140 or more hits in 16 of his 21 seasons. A steady force in the Milwaukee Brewers' lineup for nearly two decades, Molitor also led the majors in hits on two occasions. 9. Albert Pujols: 3,384 MLB has seen an infusion of foreign-born stars over the last few decades. As of 2025, Pujols is the best hitter in that group. The St. Louis Cardinals icon has the most hits and home runs (703) for a foreign-born player. 8. Carl Yastrzemski: 3,419 "Yaz" had a swing made for Fenway Park, as evidenced by his hit total. The Boston Red Sox icon had a career .305 batting average at his home ballpark, while he led the majors in hits twice. He also led the majors in batting average on three occasions, holding a .285 career batting average. 7. Honus Wagner: 3,430 While some might know Wagner for being the face of the most popular trading card in baseball history, his prowess at the plate helped create value for the card. He had 16 seasons in which he had a batting average of at least .300, leading the National League in the stat eight times in his 21-year career. 6. Derek Jeter: 3,465 The New York Yankees have had several great hitters in their storied history. How else do you think they won 27 titles? Jeter has the most of any player to wear the pinstripes, hitting .310 in his historic career. His strong hitting ability was a key reason why the Yankees won their last five World Series titles, and his 3,000th hit was memorable as he hit a home run to reach the landmark. 5. Tris Speaker: 3,515 Speaker was not only one of the best hitters in MLB history, but he is also the league's doubles king. His 752 career doubles are the most of all time and nearly 50 more than any other player. Additionally, he recorded a batting average of .300 or better in 18 of his 22 seasons. 4. Stan Musial: 3,630 "Stan the Man's" hitting prowess helped him become one of the best hitters in MLB history. As he led the National League in hits on seven occasions, Musial was named an All-Star in every season he played (excluding his 12-game 1941 season), playing in the Midsummer Classic 21 times. 3. Hank Aaron: 3,771 MLB's home run king is also one of the best hitters in history. Aaron led the league in hits and batting average twice in his legendary career. He also finished in the top 10 in the National League in hits 13 times and batting average a dozen times. The most hits he had in a season came in 1959, recording 223 that year to go with a .355 batting average. 2. Ty Cobb: 4,191 Cobb might not be the all-time hits leader, but he is MLB's all-time batting average leader. His .366 batting average is the only career batting average over .360 in league history (min. 5,000 career plate appearances), as he led the majors in that stat on 12 occasions. In two of those years, Cobb had a batting average of .400, as he also led the majors in hits eight times. 1. Pete Rose: 4,256 Rose is the MLB's all-time hit king, leading the majors in hits on seven occasions in his historic career. While no one has more hits than Rose in league history, he became better known for his gambling scandal as a manager, which led MLB to ban him for life. That ban was lifted in 2025, making him eligible for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Check out all of our Daily Rankers . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more


USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Former Gators football star Trey Burton inducted into Florida Sports Hall of Fame
The Florida Sports Hall of Fame announced former Florida Gators football star Trey Burton as a member of the 2025 induction class on Friday. Headlined by Super Bowl-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mike Alstott and World Series-winning Florida Marlins manager Jim Leyland, the seven-member 2025 Florida Sports Hall of Fame class will be inducted in a ceremony to be held at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in November. 'We are excited to be able to recognize such a talented and accomplished class who have all contributed tremendously to their respective sports,' said board Chair Keyna Cory. 'Their contributions to their sports and their communities make this a remarkable class. We are honored to welcome them as the newest members of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.' Burton is the 50th Florida Gator across all sports to enter the Hall of Fame. He was recruited by Urban Meyer as a quarterback but played several positions for the Gators, including wide receiver, tight end and fullback. Burton broke Tim Tebow's team record for touchdowns in a single game with six against the Kentucky Wildcats on Sept. 25, 2010, most coming out of the wildcat formation. After his freshman year, he turned into a versatile threat in a true "athlete" role. He had 720 rushing yards, 976 receiving yards and 20 total touchdowns in 50 career games with Florida. The Philadelphia Eagles signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and won Super Bowl LII with him in 2018. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.