Clayton Kershaw is a free agent. After several dominant years with the Dodgers, it now looks like he’ll be headed elsewhere once the lockout ends.
It would be a shame to see Kershaw wearing a uniform different from the Dodgers, but his recent injury history is probably making them think twice about whether or not they want him back.
Kershaw was once the best pitcher on the planet. He won three Cy Young Awards in four years and also claimed an MVP award. There was no stopping this guy. But injuries took their toll on the lefty, and while he’s still effective, there are question marks about his health.
So, if he doesn’t return to the Dodgers, who might sign him? Below, we look at three teams that could potentially take a chance on the former Cy Young and MVP.
Texas Rangers
There were some rumors about this potentially happening. He’s from Texas after all.
They’ve already made a splash by signing Jon Gray, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien, proving their desire to win. But they’re still just one piece away from being a true contender. Could Kershaw be that missing piece?
If he’s healthy, he can be one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. If you’re the Rangers, why not sign him to a cheap deal with incentives and see what you can get out of him?
Detroit Tigers
They already signed Eduardo Rodriguez to help strengthen their rotation and go next to Casey Mize, but they’re going to need more. This is where Kershaw comes in.
Perhaps playing in a smaller market with less pressure will help him. He does bring veteran experience and is a guy who’s experienced the bright lights of the postseason before. He can help guide Detroit’s youth movement in the right direction and also get a chance to revitalize himself.
Tampa Bay Rays
They’re already a great team and have been the AL’s top seed over the past two seasons, but after trading Blake Snell and losing Tyler Glasnow to injury, their pitching depth began wearing thin.
They somewhat addressed this already by signing Corey Kluber, but a guy like Kershaw could help them too.
There would be tons of question marks surrounding the rotation’s health, as Kluber, Kershaw, and Glasnow have dealt with injuries. But if they’re all healthy, they could form a lethal top three.
For more MLB coverage, click here.
