Clayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, has made headlines by declining his $10 million player option with the Los Angeles Dodgers, opting to enter free agency.
In a statement released by the MLB Players Association, Kershaw is officially listed as a free agent. Despite this move, many insiders believe he is likely to re-sign with the Dodgers, the team he has played for throughout his impressive 17-year career.
[Related: Check out our rankings of the top 2025 MLB free agents]
At 36 years old, Kershaw faced injuries that limited his performance last season, concluding with a 2-2 record and a 4.50 ERA across seven starts.
In other team news, the Dodgers exercised a $5 million option for infielder Miguel Rojas and a $3.5 million option for catcher Austin Barnes. Notably, Barnes ranks as the second-longest tenured player on the Dodgers, having spent 10 seasons with the franchise.
Rojas, 35, had an outstanding season, achieving a .283 batting average with six home runs and 36 RBIs. Meanwhile, Barnes posted a .264 average with one home run and 11 RBIs.
The Dodgers also extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to slugger Teoscar Hernández, who recorded a career-high 33 home runs. Players have until 4 p.m. ET on November 19 to decide whether to accept the offer.
Should Hernández accept, he will remain under contract with the Dodgers for another season. However, if he declines and signs with another team, that new team must forfeit at least one draft pick, while the Dodgers will receive compensation in the form of a draft pick.
