Los Angeles Dodgers fans concerned by team signing pitcher Clayton Kershaw to a high-priced one-year contract worth nearly 20 million dollars

Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a new one-year, $20 million contract. The nine-time All-Star is returning for his 16th season with Los Angeles. He had no interest in playing for anybody else.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made it a top priority to bring the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner back to the club. Clayton Kershaw was great on the mound for the Dodgers last season. He had a 12-3 record with a 2.28 ERA.

While the front office is ecstatic to have the lefty back, it doesn't seem that fans feel the same way. While he had a great season last year, he has been plagued with injury issues. From tendinitis to a lingering back issue, he hasn't been able to stay healthy consistently during his career.

Some Los Angeles Dodgers fans think the contract is a bit too much for someone who is an IL scare. They would have liked to see that money go elsewhere.

Clayton Kershaw was placed on the IL in August. He dealt with a herniated disc in his lower back in 2016. In 2017, he spent most of the season dealing with a lower back strain.

Anyone that has had a back injury knows it can be almost impossible to recover from fully. Clayton Kershaw has one of the most unique pitcher windups in the league. It's likely this has also contributed to his nagging back issues.

With Clayton Kershaw off the board, the Los Angeles Dodgers can focus on trying to sign Trea Turner

All-Star shortstop Trea Turner is a free agent for the 2023 season. He's one of the best shortstops on the market. He hit .298 with 21 home runs and 27 steals. He was only thrown out three times when he was trying to swipe a bag.

The Dodgers don't want to lose a true five-tool player like Turner. He's a true game-changer.

If Los Angeles can't re-sign Turner, they may go after the other top free agent shortstops like Carlos Correa or Xander Bogaerts. Either would fit in well with the Dodgers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a hard decision to make. Chase after Trea Turner or start fresh with somebody new.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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