Fansided

Making the case for why the Texas Rangers should sign Clayton Kershaw

While Texas scans the free agent market to add more depth to the rotation I think we should examine why Texas should sign a pitcher that will not pitch till July.

By Michael Sanders |
Los Angeles Dodgers v San Francisco Giants
Los Angeles Dodgers v San Francisco Giants / Ezra Shaw/GettyImages
1 of 3
Next

We are less than a week away from Christmas day and a future Hall-of-Fame pitcher still sits on the shelf waiting to be signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers or Texas Rangers. Clayton Kershaw, who resides in the offseason outside of Dallas, is still undecided on who to play for in 2024. In 2021 Kershaw waited until after the lockout to sign with the Dodgers. In 2022 he signed in November shortly after the start of the offseason. It was assumed that he would continue to sign these one-year deals with LA as he has the last two seasons. That was before the signing of Shohei Ohtani and the trade for Tyler Glasnow. It also was before the flirtation with Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. I think it is time to seriously consider whether Texas is a serious contender for Kershaw and why that would be a very smart decision by this front office.

Is Texas actually "in play" to sign Clayton Kershaw?

Kershaw has made millions throughout his career and so money is not what is going to decide where he plays. He wants to win. Texas can now sell Kershaw on being able to win it all in Arlington. That was certainly not the case before when Texas was coming off a 60-win season and a 68-win season after the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Playing close to home looks more alluring when a team wins a World Series like Texas did last month.

Kershaw's last playoff memories with Los Angeles are not pleasant ones. The Dodgers were just swept by Arizona in the Divisional Round and lost a four-game series to the San Diego Padres in 2022. The Dodgers are making vast improvements and will return Walker Buehler in 2024, but is that enough to shake the bad feelings left over from the last two playoff appearances for the Dodgers.

Texas can offer proximity to home, the money he is looking for, and the ability to compete for a World Series in an American League that is winnable. I think Kershaw is taking all of this into consideration and is giving more consideration to Texas now than he has in previous offseasons. Kershaw would have the ability to play with his former teammate Corey Seager, and be in the same rotation with Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer for at least one season. Those are two reasons why the left-hander might want to bring his overhand curveball to the Lone Star State.

Would it be smart to sign Clayton Kershaw?

This question is not as easy to answer as it would appear. Kershaw did recently have shoulder surgery and will be out till at least mid-season. He has just been signing one-year contracts lately and so Texas might be signing him for just 10 starts. Texas already has three other pitchers in Max Scherzer, Tyler Mahle, and Jacob deGrom who will not be back till midseason now. Would it make sense to add Kershaw to that list of injured pitchers?

One thing to remember about Kershaw is that when he pitches he is still very good. He is still among the best pitchers in all of baseball when healthy. Kershaw in 2023 had a 13-5 record with a 2.46 ERA in 24 starts. His ERA+ was 177. If Kershaw was on Texas' staff in 2023 he would have been Texas' best starting pitcher and it would not have been particularly close. The only two pitchers close to Kershaw in ERA+ were Scherzer at 140 and deGrom at 169. Those were in much fewer starts. If Kershaw can recover physically then the stuff is still there and he would vastly improve the rotation. He would be ready in time to help Texas make a push to the playoffs and maybe a second World Series.

The second reason to add Kershaw is the mentorship he can provide to young pitchers such as Jack Leiter, Owen White, Cody Bradford, and Zak Kent. He can show them what it takes to be a major league pitcher. He can be there to answer questions and give them advice during spring that could help them take that next step once the regular season starts. Those are four pitchers that Texas will be needing this season and in the future. Kershaw's expertise and wisdom built up through a long career will only help this pitching staff even if the left-hander is only able to pitch half a season.

What would be the downside to signing Clayton Kershaw?

The downside would be if Kershaw does not recover and is on the IL all season long. If that happens then he spends every day on the 60-day IL and does not take up a 40-man roster spot and then is a free agent again after the season where he may decide to retire. If that happens then the only thing lost would be the money ownership would be paying him.

Texas has shown consistently that they are not afraid of taking a chance on injured or injury-prone pitchers. They will not be scared away by Kershaw's bum shoulder. If anything they will look at this as an opportunity to get a really good pitcher on a discount and be rewarded with great performances when it matters in August and September. So the downside is really not that much of a negative for this front office.

The most important thing to remember is this will be Kershaw's decision and he will make it on his timeline. Chris Young or Andrew Friedman are not going to pressure the Hall-of-Famer into a decision before he is ready. He will make the ultimate decision on whether he leaves the only team he has known to play for the city he calls home. That decision might come this week, it might not come till January, or it might not come till he is ready to pitch in June or July. The only person who knows is Clayton Kershaw and for now, it seems he is focused on the rehab process and making sure he stays on the midseason return timeline.

More News from Nolan Writin

feed

Next

Schedule