In what might end up as the least surprising outcome from Part II of the interrupted free-agency season, future Hall of Fame left-hander Clayton Kershaw will return to the only organization he's ever known, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Kershaw will ink a one-year deal worth $17 million, plus incentives, to play his 15th season in Dodger Blue, a source told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Friday. Kershaw, 34, went 10-8 with a 3.55 ERA last season over 22 starts and 121 2/3 innings during an injury-shortened campaign.
Kershaw battled elbow soreness for much of the second half of the season before being pulled from his last start on Oct. 1 because of forearm discomfort. A few days later, the Dodgers declared Kershaw out of the postseason. Kershaw eventually received a PRP injection to address the issue and told reporters he planned to be ready for spring training.
Needless to say, this is great news for baseball fans in general and Dodgers fans in particular. Still, it is worth asking: What version of Kershaw will we get in the coming season?