It's been a long time since Clayton Kershaw debuted when the Dodgers' spring training kicked off, and this year was no exception.

In the familiar atmosphere of spring baseball, Kershaw is practicing his passing at the back of the field, even though his much-anticipated contract extension with the team has not yet been officially completed.

The wait won't be long, and according to The Athletic and ESPN, Kershaw has agreed to a new contract on Tuesday that will see him return to the Dodgers for his 18th season. The club has yet to confirm the deal, with the contract reportedly subject to medical approval. Kershaw underwent toe and knee surgery in the offseason and is expected to be out for some time at the start of the new season.

An iconic figure of the team, Kershaw has been one of the best pitchers in baseball throughout his 17 major league seasons. He is a three-time Cy Young Award, a once-most valuable player (MVP) award, and a 10-time All-Star. He has a career ERA of 2.50 and ranks first in major league history with an ERA+ of 156 among pitchers who pitch at least 2,000 innings.

With a total of 212 career victories, he is just 32 short of 3,000 strikeouts, which will undoubtedly make him an easy induction into the Hall of Fame after retirement.

Perhaps more important, however, is the role model that Kershaw has set during his time with the team.

Training camp officially opened to the media on Tuesday, with a lot of talk about the Dodgers' hopes of defending their World Series title this season. Many players have expressed the need to focus on their daily training to achieve their ultimate goal.

Third baseman Max Muncy said, "Everybody is trying to get better. Every single person I've seen in this dressing room for the last eight or nine years has been starting with number 22 over there and following his example. ”

On Tuesday, Kershaw had his own locker at Camelback Ranch. After graduating from Highland Park High School in Dallas in 2006, he was selected by the Dodgers with the seventh overall pick in that year's draft and has dedicated his entire career to the Dodgers ever since. He had plenty of time to make his mark on the team, and his leadership played an invaluable role in the continued success of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In that sense, Kershaw's arrival at Hump Ranch without a formal contract sends a message that goes far beyond wanting to return to the team.

Veteran infielder Miguel Rojas said: "He came here on day one, with his team-mates, he was more than just a player. He showed the spirit of this team. It means sticking together from the start and giving selflessly in every way, which is what Kershaw did.

'He's here to do something for his team-mates and to see him. He knows we have a lot of new players and that shows the quality of this team. We've been creating something very special over the past few years. ”

After pitching just 30 rounds last year, Kershaw hopes to stay in better health in 2025. The 36-year-old left pitcher underwent left shoulder surgery in November 2023 and didn't make his season debut until July 25, 2024. After seven starts, he was on the injury list again with a left big toe injury, during which he had a 4.50 ERA.

Kershaw turned down the 2025 player option to become a free agent, but his return to the Dodgers never seemed to be in suspense, and his rejection of the player option was simply to help the team have more space on the 40-man roster to sign on the free agent market.

From 2011 to 2017, Kershaw was at the top of his game, being named to the All-Star team for seven consecutive years and finishing in the top five in the National League Young Awards. In 207 starts during that period, he had a 118-41 record, a 2.10 ERA (ERA+ of 179), a WHIP of 0.91 and a 5.73 strikeout.

In recent years, Kershaw has been plagued by injuries and his ball speed has dropped, but it is not until 2024 that his performance has really suffered. In 133 appearances (132 starts) from 2018 to 2023, he has a 66-28 record with an ERA of 2.77 (ERA+ of 149), a WHIP of 1.01 and a strikeout return ratio of 5.09.

Regardless of what he can contribute to the pitcher's mound, Kershaw should play an important role in the upcoming season.

Chris Taylor, a longtime teammate of Kershaw, said: "Kershaw is here and means a lot to everyone. He's one of our leaders and we're always happy to have him here. Of course, we were all excited when he came back healthy because we knew what he could bring to the table. ”