With the World Series now complete, the 2022-23 MLB offseason is officially underway for all 30 teams. For the Los Angeles Dodgers, longtime leaders Clayton Kershaw and Justin Turner are among their free agents.
Kershaw reached the open market by way of his contract expiring, while the Dodgers declined their $16 million team option on Turner for 2023. L.A. additionally declined team options on Hanser Alberto, Danny Duffy and Jimmy Nelson.
However, the Dodgers and Kershaw are said to be in agreement on another one-year contract for the second consecutive offseason.
Meanwhile, Turner has said multiple times that he hopes to finish his career with the Dodgers.
Prior to the decision being made on their team option, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Turner is a priority for the Dodgers could not forecast how he would remain part of the roster, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“He is a priority for us in terms of him being with us,” Friedman said. “We’re still working through our payroll and other needs and trying to balance everything together as much as we can to figure out what that looks like. That’s what we’re working on right now. The priority is that we show up in Glendale and for him to be a part of what we’re doing next year. What exactly that looks like, we need time to work through.”
Friedman also noted that re-signing Kershaw was at the top of the Dodgers’ checklist this offseason:
“Things just feel more right in the world when Kershaw is wearing a Dodgers uniform,” he said. “That’s just how it lands with us. But we couldn’t respect more him and Ellen (Kershaw’s wife) going through this process. But it’s definitely a real priority for us and hopeful he will be with us in Glendale.”
Once Kershaw’s contract is finalized, he will be on track to tie Don Sutton’s Dodgers record for the longest tenure by a pitcher with the franchise at 16 seasons.
Zack Wheat, Bill Russell, Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese and Duke Snider are the only position players who have spent at least that long with the organization — with each doing so for 18 years.
Justin Turner hopes to finish career with Dodgers
During a recent appearance on “Roggin And Rodney,” Turner reiterated his desire to finish his career with the Dodgers.
This is a third time he’s become a free agent since signing with the team on a Minor League contract in 2014.
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