Overview
- USA Baseball announced Thursday that the retired Dodgers ace will join the U.S. roster for the March tournament, with final rosters expected in early February.
- This will be Kershaw’s first WBC after he withdrew in 2023 when he could not secure required contract insurance while still an active MLB player.
- With frontline arms such as Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, Logan Webb and Joe Ryan on the staff, Kershaw is expected to work in a limited or relief role, and he said he is throwing “just enough to make it for 10 days.”
- Team USA opens Pool B play March 6 against Brazil at Daikin Park in Houston, with group games also against Great Britain, Italy and Mexico and the finals slated for March 15–17 in Miami.
- Kershaw retired after 18 seasons with the Dodgers, closing his MLB career by escaping a bases-loaded jam in World Series Game 3 and leaving with a résumé that includes three Cy Young Awards, an MVP and more than 3,000 strikeouts.