The fall of 2023 was extremely cruel for Clayton Kershaw (35, LA Dodgers), a pitcher representing the LA Dodgers and the Major League and a future Hall of Famer. While he only got one out, he was hit hard and went down the mound with his head down.메이저사이트
Kershaw started in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against Arizona on the 8th (Korean time), but was demoted after showing the worst performance in history, allowing 6 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, and 6 runs in ⅓ innings. The Dodgers, who were this year’s National League West champions and one of the best teams in the league, lost the first game amid Kershaw’s troubles, and were unable to turn the trend around and were ‘eliminated at the speed of light’ from the postseason with a shocking 3 consecutive losses.
Even considering that Kershaw has an image of being weak in the fall and that he is not at his prime, his ERA of 162.00 was shocking. Kershaw’s blow was so severe that he could not speak properly after the game. In addition, his team, the Dodgers, was eliminated in the Division Series, so he has no chance to make up for it this year. The problem is that Kershaw may give up his chance to redeem himself.
Kershaw, who has recorded 210 wins in 425 games since his major league debut in 2008 until this year, could not easily answer the question of whether he would return to the mound next year. That means he could retire like this. Although he still has plenty of room left to continue his career at 35 years old, Kershaw has suffered from frequent injuries in recent years. From 2021 until this year, they were all far from regulation innings. He pitched the most innings this year with 131⅔ innings.
Buster Olney, an ESPN columnist and major league source, appeared on the company’s special program immediately after the Dodgers’ elimination was confirmed and said, “Insiders who know Kershaw are wondering whether Kershaw, who has injuries to his back, hip, elbow and shoulder, will be on the mound next year. “I’m curious. I might retire after that game (Game 1 of the Division Series),” he said. If Kershaw announces his retirement, the uncharacteristic Kershaw pitching of 6 runs in ⅓ innings will be the final scene of his major league career.
He has already made enough money, and even if he retires now, he is certain to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Amid his 210 wins, Kershaw’s major league earned run average is just 2.48. It’s still too early to say for sure, but if that’s the case, the Dodgers need to find an alternative. Of course, the name of Shohei Otani (29, LA Angels) is mentioned first.
Ohtani, who underwent his second elbow surgery before the end of this season, will not be able to play as a pitcher next year. However, it is predicted that in 2025, he will also appear as a pitcher and continue to pitch and bat again. The Dodgers are a team that currently needs Ohtani. Veteran JD Martinez is in the designated hitter position, but he is now at an age where it would not be surprising if he retires at any time. Here, an axis is needed to lead the starting rotation following Kershaw. Ohtani is a very ideal player. His marketing elements are also clear.
The Dodgers have already completed preliminary work to recruit Ohtani, who will become a free agent (FA) after this season. After the end of last season, I passively watched the free agent market. It wasn’t because I didn’t have money. The prevailing view is that it was a way to make it easier to recruit Ohtani by lowering the team payroll below the luxury tax standard. And now it’s time to spend the money. There are only a few teams that would welcome Ohtani, who is likely to be worth more than $500 million, and the Dodgers are the most wealthy among those rich teams.
Gamblers also see the possibility of Ohtani going to the Dodgers as very high. ‘Bet Online’, a leading online bookmaker in the United States, recently began betting on ‘Ohtani’s next team’. The current team, the LA Angels, is excluded. The oddsmaker at ‘Bet Online’ placed a +250 odds on the Dodgers. This means that if he bets $100, he will receive $350, including $250 in dividends. In other words, in a positive situation, the lower this number is, the higher the probability is.
In second place is Seattle, which has traditionally been close to Japanese players, at +350, and in third place is San Francisco, which is looking to greatly strengthen its strength, at +450. First of all, gamblers are expecting a three-way match. This trend is followed by San Diego and the New York Yankees.
If Ohtani is transferred to the Dodgers, Ohtani’s debut game for the Dodgers will be held in Korea, not the United States. The Major League Baseball office decided to hold the opening game in Korea as part of the 2024 world tour. The LA Dodgers and San Diego were selected as partners. It is possible to leave a starting pitcher in the U.S. who will not play in Korea, but Ohtani is a fielder, so this does not apply. Assuming he moves to the Dodgers, it is highly likely that the first game will be played in Korea next year.