Clayton Kershaw returns for 18th season with the Dodgers

LOS ANGELES ¨C The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed 10-time All-Star and three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw to a one-year contract for $7.5 million with roster and games-started bonuses. In order to make room for Kershaw on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred right-hander River Ryan to the 60-day injured list.

Kershaw, 36, returns for his 18th season with the team, tying him with Zack Wheat and Bill Russell for most seasons in franchise history. He becomes the second Los Angeles Dodger to play 18+ seasons with the Boys in Blue (joining Russell, 1969-1986), the 59th player in Major League Baseball history with 18+ seasons with the same club and the only active player in Major League Baseball with 18+ years of service with the same team.

Last season, Kershaw went 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in seven games before being sidelined with a toe injury and finishing the season on the 60-day injured list. He struck out 24 batters in 30 innings, inching closer to former teammate Zack Greinke (2,979) for 20th all-time on the Major League strikeout list with his 2,968 career strikeouts.

In 17 seasons with Los Angeles, the left-hander has a record of 212-94 with an ERA of 2.50 and a 1.01 WHIP, and ranks second in franchise history in wins, first in ERA, strikeouts and WHIP. He would be only the fifth player ever to strike out 3,000 batters with the same team, joining Walter Johnson (3,508 with the Washington Senators), Bob Gibson (3,117 with the St. Louis Cardinals), Steve Carlton (3,031 with the Philadelphia Phillies) and John Smoltz (3,011 with the Atlanta Braves).

The 2014 National League MVP and three-time Cy Young Award winner in 2011, 2013 and 2014 was originally drafted by the Dodgers with the seventh overall pick in the 2006 First Year Player Draft out of Highland Park High School (TX).