Veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw was set to pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic this coming spring.
However, the former Cy Young and MVP announced today that he would be withdrawing from the tournament.
He did not give a very clear reason though as to why he dropped out, and instead cited that there were “certain factors” that played into his decision.
The veteran lefty assured everybody that he was completely healthy, however.
On Twitter, Alden Gonzalez posted a video of the Los Angeles Dodgers ace’s interview, where he explained his reasoning for dropping out of the Classic and expressed his disappointment.
Clayton Kershaw will not be able tk take part in the World Baseball Classic. He didn’t go into details as to why, but he said he’s completely healthy and oftentimes called it “disappointing.” pic.twitter.com/EvWzxX2ely
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) February 17, 2023
Kershaw really doesn’t give a very clear answer as to why he won’t be taking part in the WBC.
He ultimately chose not to get into what the factors were that ultimately caused him to withdraw.
He did say that President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman was okay with him participating in the Classic.
Reports claim insurance coverage were the issue.
Kershaw had a problem with insurance coverage, per sources. His back injury history was a significant factor. https://t.co/11Yn73b9ym
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) February 17, 2023
The nine-time All-Star would have joined stars such as Merrill Kelly, Adam Wainwright, and Brady Singer in the starting rotation for Team USA.
Kershaw won 12 games in 22 starts during the 2022 season and posted an ERA of 2.28.
He signed a one-year deal to return to the Dodgers at the start of the offseason.
The good thing for the Dodgers is that Kershaw is healthy, but his reasoning for dropping out of the WBC is quite odd and doesn’t exactly paint a clear picture of the whole situation.
Team USA will still have plenty of solid pitchers on their roster, but Kershaw will not be one of them.
NEXT: Clayton Kershaw Reveals His Status For The WBC
