Sawt Falasteen - Dodgers pitcher Kershaw plans to return for 2025

Kershaw, 36, is a spectator for the Dodgers this post-season, but told broadcaster Fox Sports before the team's game against the New York Mets that he intends to play next season, when he can exercise a player option to stay with the Dodgers or opt out of his contract to test the free-agent market.

"Mentally, I feel great," Kershaw said. "I had shoulder surgery last offseason and my shoulder and elbow, everything, my arm feels great."

After missing the first four months of the season recovering from shoulder surgery, Kershaw was sidelined again when a bone spur on his right big toe flared up during a game in August.

"Obviously I had some tough luck with my foot this year," he said "But I want to make use of this surgery.

"I don't want to have surgery and shut it down. So I'm going to come back next year and give it a go and see how it goes."

Kershaw is the Dodgers all-time leader in strikeouts with 2,968. He's second on the team's all-time wins list with 212.

He won the Cy Young Award as the National League's top pitcher in 2011, 2013 and 2014, adding the NL Most Valuable Player award in 2014 and helping the Dodgers win the World Series in 2020.

T.Ibrahim--SF-PST