GLENDALE, Ariz. – Clayton Kershaw won’t be pitching in the World Baseball Classic after all.
Kershaw announced Friday that he would not be playing for Team USA due to what he called “complications” earlier this week.
“Super disappointing,” he said at his locker at Camelback Ranch following the Dodgers workout Friday. “We tried a lot of different things, all sides really tried to make it work. Nothing’s wrong with me. It just didn’t work out. I really wanted to do it, wanted to be a part of that group.
“It’s probably my last chance to be able to do it so I really wanted to do it. Just didn’t work out for a number of reasons. Disappointing but that’s okay. I’ll be ready for the season. I’ll be ready to go.”
Kershaw would not say what “reasons” were keeping him from playing. But participants are required to be covered by insurance in case of injury. Players have been prevented from participating in the past when injury insurance could not be obtained. Sources confirmed that Kershaw’s history of back injuries prevented him from satisfying that requirement.
“I don’t think that’s super important,” Kershaw said when asked why he would not be playing. “There were some factors that were making it hard for me to play. I tried to work it out on my own, tried to work it out with MLB, the union, the team. Everybody worked hard to try to make it work out. Just wasn’t able to.
“I’m bummed. It’s disappointing. But obviously it’s not the most important thing when you’re with the Dodgers. We’ll be ready for the season.”
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Kershaw asserted that he is “100 percent healthy so I didn’t think there’d be any issues. But things happen.”
Kershaw had never participated in the WBC which began in 2006. After an uncertain winter last year due to an elbow injury, he went into this offseason healthy and was eager to play in the international tournament.
“In the past, it just wasn’t a thought. I had to get ready for the season and it wasn’t really a focus of mine,” he said. “But this year, coming into it feeling healthy, going into the offseason, the way they structured it – it was probably only going to be one or two starts – I felt really good about it from a health perspective. It was something that looked really fun to do but not something that I thought was going to be an option until this year.”
Kershaw said the Dodgers supported his desire to play in the WBC and tried to help him work through the complications so he could.
“Andrew was great through the whole thing. He said whatever you need to do to make it work if you want to do it,” Kershaw said. “Obviously it’s not the first choice of a team to let their guy play for somebody else but they were great about it.
“I was really looking forward to it. I was getting excited as it was getting closer. A great group of guys. I’ve been talking to Goldy, Waino, D-Ro, Michael Young, Andy Pettitte … it was such a great group. It would have been really fun to be a part of. It’s almost like an All-Star Game with meaning. I was getting excited about it.”
While he credited all parties with trying to get the issue resolved, he did acknowledge being frustrated by the outcome.
“Yeah, I’m frustrated,” he said. “They should make it easy for guys that want to play to play. Obviously if the team doesn’t want you to play that’s one thing. But if you have the team’s blessing it should be easier. They should probably look into that in the future.”
The decision means Kershaw will not be leaving the Dodgers for part of spring training to train with Team USA. That won’t change his spring much, he said.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “Maybe take an extra day or two just because I can. But nothing super impactful.”
HEY MIKEY
The Dodgers will still be well-represented in the WBC with outfielder Mookie Betts one of those making their debuts in the tournament. He said he committed to play after being recruited by another member of Team USA.
“Mikey, he texted me and he told me he wanted me to play, and I told him I’ll play with him,” Betts said, referring to Mike Trout. “We don’t get to share the field very often. Now, never (because they are in different leagues). So, to be on the same side playing with him and all the other guys, really it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
COMING BACK
Veteran reliever Daniel Hudson threw a bullpen session Friday, his first since surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee last June. Hudson’s recovery this winter was slowed by right ankle tendinitis.
“It’s been a grind. It’s been a little more frustrating than I thought it would be,” Hudson said. “I’ve been through a couple long rehabs before but for whatever reason … it’s been a little slower. At the same time, we’ve progressed pretty well and we’re in a good spot going into spring training.”
The Dodgers are hopeful that Hudson will be ready to pitch if not on Opening Day then soon after.
“Right now, I don’t really want to put a timetable on it. I’m hoping and shooting to be ready for Opening Day,” he said. “The last couple months have not really progressed the way I would have liked seeing how the first four months went. But we’re still in a good spot and I think I can catch up pretty good in the next couple weeks.”