Clayton Kershaw is back with the Dodgers in a non-playing role. The club hired the future Hall of Famer as a special assistant in their front office, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Kershaw retired at the end of the 2025 season, though he was included on the Team USA roster for this spring’s World Baseball Classic. That was largely symbolic, as he didn’t make an appearance and was subbed off the roster before the semifinals.
Kershaw tells Sonja Chen of MLB.com he’ll “be involved” with the organization. Special assistant roles around the league vary. Some of these hirings are ceremonial or public relations moves, while others involve working with MLB players and/or prospects during Spring Training and throughout the season.
In either case, it’s fitting that Kershaw remains a Dodger in some capacity. He spent all of his legendary career in Dodger blue, posting a 2.53 ERA in a little under 3000 innings. Kershaw won the NL MVP in 2014 and is still the most recent pitcher to do so. He won five ERA titles, three Cy Young awards, and three championships.
Kershaw is in L.A. this weekend for the season-opening series against the Diamondbacks. He was part of NBC’s broadcast team for last night’s opener. He’s back at Dodger Stadium tonight as part of the World Series ring ceremony.
As a Cubs fan, I watched Kershaw carve up the NL for the better part of the last 20 years. Other than in the playoffs in 16-17, I always quietly rooted for him. Loved that he stayed in LA his whole career. Maybe one of the last of his kind. To stand as an equal to Sandy Koufax in LA, hat tip over here.
Kershaw is a great HOF pitcher and as a Dodger fan he’s my favorite pitcher of the last 40 years in the league. but he is NOT an equal of Koufax. What Sandy did in the world series’ he pitched in gives him clear separation over Kershaw. There is only one ‘Left hand of God’; the incomparable Sandy Braun.
I disagree with you, but opinions are like, well you know how it goes.
Related to Ryan?
Sweet. Can’t keep a legend out of the game entirely. Yay!!!
Well I’m feeling old… I remember when he was a teenager in the minors and everyone was already calling him the second coming of Sandy Koufax.
It would have been a real insult if they didn’t keep him in the franchise in some way. So good on the Dodgers.
As a Red Sox fan I assure you it’s true. Should have been a career Red Sox
Crazy… Roman Anthony wasn’t even born yet when I played my last ball game in high school.
Does this mean he is an assistant who is special, or he has a special job?
Yes
Gonna say it here since the top comment will be deleted. Some of the racist garbage that happens on this board is really disappointing
You’re not wrong, but there’s also a lot of trolling which I think is the case this time.
The trolling, the racism, the political grandstanding, etc. This place has changed so much over the last 5 or so years. Been here for about a decade but I barely post anymore because of the nonstop trolling that goes mostly unchecked.
i don’t disagree with your take but that first comment was a satire acct post. I assume so anyway
I don’t disagree, but. I agree
fair. good take
I’m glad you called it out. We don’t need mlbtr to turn into x.
It sucks. It also ignores Jackie Robinson’s legacy.
Hear hear.
That and when anyone tries to make a political point. I come here for baseball, I don’t care what your world view is otherwise.
Just make a point to never reply to the racist, political, and other dark stuff here. Never feed an internet troll.
One other quick note, thank you to the moderators who are taking care of this.
Let’s all take a minute to be good in our real life also. They are trying to divide us and foster hate. Let’s be better than that. Baseball is a good place to start 🙂
I’m glad to see something finally go the Dodgers way, they’ve suffered enough. 🤣
What took the Dodgers so long to bring Kersh back?
Good on both of ya. Dodger Nation is lucky to have 22 in the fold.
Maybe the Angels can hire Anthony Rendon as a special assistant. Sounds like something Arte Moreno would do.
Comment of the day! Hats off to you. I literally chuckled out loud to myself. Thanks, I needed that laugh today.
Kershaw’s legend doesn’t stop!
It’s only fitting that he works for the dodgers.
I always thought there was something special about him
Very brief TV career. Seemed like he did a pretty good job with commentary.
He’s still working for NBC
That’s good to hear. He seems like a natural on the mic whenever he’s on during games and I hope he gets more gigs.
It was great to hear from a recent player from the dugout.
When he saw Lovullo’s body language and called the hook on Gallen a minute before it happened…that typically does not happen outside of press box conjecture. Him in the press section of dugout was surreal and entertaining.
Good for baseball. Win win.
No fan of the new evil empire but this good.
If Clay can’t assist in one special fashion or another who really can?
This guy is not only a first ballot HOFer, but a class act as a human being. I’m not a Dodgers fan but have always loved #22.
There are a few things in sport you see over and over and amazed at how easy a genius makes it look. Kershaw’s curveball was majestic. Lionel Messi chipping the keeper, Magic Johnson with the no look pass, Gretzky leading a 3 on 2 break….I could go on and on.
Kareem’s sky hook…one of the simplest and least defensible move in sports….along with 99 behind the net making the goalie panic.
Seems to be easing into retirement well lol. So far it’s like he never left! (I hope he never leaves, just hope he won’t feel inclined to share his political thoughts.) He came up through the McCrook years through this regime, seem like a lifetime ago. Soon to join Koufax as only surviving players with their Dodger numbers retired. Unlike the hall of fame, it’s not an easy club to get into 🙂
Did you really just put getting your number retired as a Dodger above making the HOF???
I said it’s harder to do. 1.24% of anyone who played mlb made the HOF. (Or 354 out of approx. 22,600 players) While 11 Dodgers Players out of approx. 1105 have their numbers retired for around 1.08%. (Vin Scully is regarded as number 12, but it is not a number but a Mic.) Though I was actually making a some in jest comment as I feel Beltran, Jones, etc. symbolize the mediocrity that the HOF last let in lately.
He also threw the ceremonial first pitch last night. They had some fun with it. First, they announced Orel Hershiser, and he walked out to the mound. He got a big cheer, naturally. Then, they called him back and sent Kershaw out. He got an even bigger cheer.
BTW, what happened to everybody who was sure Kershaw’s career plan was to play it out in Texas?
I attended many games when Sandy was on the mound. The night he got his 18 ks against the giants,we ( my parents) were behind the screen in left at the coliseum.
Comparing the two is not acceptable to me. Different era , with a vastly different approach to starters. The staters back during Sandy’s time went deeper into games, regardless of the outcome .
Regardless, both are first ballot HOF choices .