Sports
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw intends to return for 2025 season: 'Mentally, I feel great'
Clayton Kershaw is out for the rest of this postseason because of a toe injury. But he appears to have no plans this offseason to call it a career.
Before Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, Kershaw told the Fox Sports pregame show that he is planning to play in 2025, when he can exercise a player option to stay with the Dodgers or (in a much more unlikely scenario) opt out of his deal and test free agency for a third straight winter.
“Mentally, I feel great,” Kershaw said. “I had shoulder surgery last offseason, and my shoulder and elbow, everything, my arm, feels great.
“Obviously, I had some tough luck with my foot this year. But I want to make use of this surgery. I don’t want to have surgery and shut it down. So I’m gonna come back next year and give it a go and see how it goes.”
The 36-year-old Kershaw, who would be entering his 18th MLB season in 2025, pitched in only seven games this year after missing the first four months of the regular season recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Though Kershaw’s fastball averaged less than 90 mph, he was 2-2 with a 3.72 ERA in his first six starts, and he was in line for a possible postseason rotation spot on the Dodgers’ injury-plagued pitching staff.
But then, on Aug. 30, the injury bug bit Kershaw.
In a start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, a bone spur on Kershaw’s right big toe flared up so bad he was forced to leave the game in the second inning. He went on the injured list the following day.
Despite trying to continue to throw over the final month of the regular season, in hopes of making a return in time for the playoffs, Kershaw’s toe failed to cooperate. Ahead of the NLDS, manager Dave Roberts ruled him out for the rest of the postseason.
It’s unclear if Kershaw, who is just 32 strikeouts away from 3,000 in his career, will be ready for the start of the 2025 season.
He acknowledged earlier this month that surgery on his toe is “in the conversation” for this offseason.
Kershaw also developed other physical issues while injured that he said resulted from trying to compensate from his toe injury in throwing exercises. One affected area, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, was Kershaw’s oblique.
Despite all that, the Dodgers could still use the three-time Cy Young Award winner and former MVP in their 2025 rotation — which will likely be hampered by limited workloads from Shohei Ohtani, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin as they return from elbow surgeries.
“Obviously I don’t want to get hurt all the time,” Kershaw said recently, having gone on the IL at least once in every season since 2016. “Like, it’s not fun to do that.”
“But,” he added, “I also really love to pitch, too.”
Roberts silences the critics
There was elation and exhaustion, pride and vindication, but the overwhelming emotion that Roberts felt after a grueling five-game National League Division Series win over the San Diego Padres was “relief.”
Not just because the Dodgers vanquished their pesky division rivals to advance to the NL Championship Series against the New York Mets, but because Roberts silenced a large segment of the team’s fan base that would have called for his head if the Dodgers suffered a third straight first-round playoff exit.
“Unfortunately, the reality is, that’s the nature of this business,” Roberts said. “I could argue that we’ve won a lot in my tenure here, but when you’re in this market, it’s still about winning championships.
“People don’t want to hear about the uncertainty of [October] baseball, how you can’t predict who the World Series champion is gonna be. I don’t do any of the social media, but to be honest, you can kind of feel [the pressure] around you.”
Roberts has the best winning percentage (.627) of any manager with at least 1,300 games, having guided the Dodgers to an 851-506 record, eight division titles, nine playoff appearances and three World Series — winning in 2020 — in nine seasons. But every October, it seems Roberts is managing to save his job, and frankly, he is tired of it.
“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous considering the body of work that I’ve been a part of, the stuff that I do on the business side and the community relations side, my history with the Dodgers,” Roberts said. “But it is what it is.”
Roberts has made his share of regrettable October decisions, but he redeemed himself in the eyes of critics with his deft bullpen management against the Padres, steering eight relievers through an 8-0 Game 4 win and four through four hitless innings in a 2-0 Game 5 win.
“I thought he was surgical in Game 4 and 5,” said Andrew Friedman, the team’s president of baseball operations. “I thought he had the pulse and the right feel for when to make a move and who to go to.”
Roberts also kept the team together through his “most challenging season,” one that featured a slew of pitching injuries and the loss of Mookie Betts for two months and Max Muncy for three months.
“The number of injuries we withstood was a little deflating to the clubhouse,” Friedman said. “They’re out there battling, doing everything they can to accomplish our goal of winning the division, and things keep happening. Doc’s relentless optimism helped keep things positive and moving forward.”
Hip check
Gavin Lux tweaked his right-hip flexor breaking out of the box on his fourth-inning bunt Sunday night and was pulled from the game in the seventh inning. Lux was not in the lineup for Game 2 but was available to pinch-hit.
Even if the left-handed-hitting Lux were healthy, he probably wouldn’t have started against Mets left-hander Sean Manaea in Game 2. With rest and Tuesday’s off-day, “it will give me a little extra time to recover,” Lux said. “It’s just wear and tear. I’ll be fine.”
No pressure
Rookie reliever Ben Casparius had no idea when he took the mound in the ninth inning Sunday night that the Dodgers were on the verge of tying the 1966 Baltimore Orioles for the longest consecutive scoreless innings streak in playoff history at 33.
“I found out after the game,” Casparius, who retired the side in order in his first career playoff appearance, said before Game 2 on Monday. “I’m honestly glad it was after the game and not before it.”
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An Olympic medalist and 13-time X Games winner suffered serious head injuries after a stunt went wrong.
Nyjah Huston, who won bronze in Paris in 2024, said he suffered a fractured skull and eye socket.
“A harsh reminder how death-defying skating massive rails can be…” Huston wrote in an Instagram post which included a photo of himself in a hospital bed. “Taking it one day at a time. I hope yall had a better new years then me. We live to fight another day.”
Nyjah Huston of the United States competes in the men’s street prelims during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at La Concorde 3. (Jack Gruber/USA TODAY Sports)
The post also featured Huston being treated by first responders and friends, along with another photo showing a large black-and-blue mark on Huston’s eye.
Numerous skating legends showed their support for Huston, who is considered one of the best skateboarders in the United States today.
Nyjah Huston of Team USA reacts at the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Urban Sports Park on July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
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“Been watching @nyjah grow up into one of the best skaters to ever do it and it amazes me the amount of grit this kid has,” Shaun White shared on his Instagram story, via Pro Football Network. “You got this brother. Heal quick!”
Even Tony Hawk shared well-wishes on Huston’s Instagram post.
“Heavy. Stay strong; we know you’ll be back,” the skateboarding legend wrote.
“Man.. prayers for healing brother!” added Ryan Sheckler.
It is unknown whether Huston was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.
Nyjah Huston, of the United States, celebrates during the men’s skateboard street final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Huston has seven gold medals and five silvers in world championships. He has not competed since the 2024 Olympics, but the California native has his eyes set on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
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JuJu Watkins is returning to Sierra Canyon High on Friday, the place where she was a high school basketball All-American.
The school will hold a ceremony retiring her jersey at halftime of the boys’ basketball game between Sierra Canyon and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.
She will be presented with a framed jersey.
Watkins is sitting out this season at USC while recovering from a knee injury.
Sierra Canyon girls’ basketball coach Alicia Komaki said, “She raised our standards, which was hard to do because we had won four state championships. She was an incredibly talented player.”
Watkins was also making a huge impact in the college game until her injury last season during the NCAA playoffs.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sports
Miami beats Ole Miss behind Carson Beck’s game-winning touchdown to reach CFP National Championship Game
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The Miami Hurricanes are heading to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, coming away with a narrow victory over Ole Miss, 31-27, in an all-time postseason contest.
The Hurricanes will now await the winner of the other semifinal between the Indiana Hoosiers and Oregon Ducks to see who they will play on Jan. 19. But Miami will do so on their home turf, with the National Championship Game being played at Hard Rock Stadium – the site of their home games.
The game began slowly for both teams, with only Miami getting on the scoreboard in the first quarter with a field goal on their 13-play opening drive. But the fireworks came out from there for the Rebels thanks to the speed of running back Kewan Lacy.
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Charmar Brown of the Miami (FL) Hurricanes celebrates a run in the first quarter of the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Steve Limentani/ISI Photos)
On just the second play of the second quarter, Lacy was off to the race, finding a seam and busting out a 73-yard touchdown run to go up 7-3 after the extra point.
But this game was back and forth for quite some time, including the ensuing Hurricanes drive as quarterback Carson Beck led the way on a 15-play touchdown series with a CharMar Brown rushing score from four yards out.
The game was deadlocked at 10 apiece when Beck decided to air it out to Keelan Marion, and it was worth the risk. Marion made the grab for a 52-yard touchdown to help Miami go up 17-13 at halftime.
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The third quarter was an odd one for both squads, as their opening drives resulted in a missed field goal apiece. Then, after Beck threw an interception, the Rebels were able to cut the lead to 17-16 in favor of the Hurricanes heading into the fourth quarter for the ages.
There was no absence of electric plays when it mattered most in the final 15 minutes, as Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss got his team downfield enough to take a 19-17 lead with a field goal.
But the speed of Malachi Toney changed the scoreboard for Miami in the best way possible, as he took a screen 36 yards to the house, capping a four-play, 75-yard answer drive for the Hurricanes right after Ole Miss took the lead.
Trinidad Chambliss of the Ole Miss Rebels celebrates a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes in the second quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
With a 24-19 lead and five minutes left to play in the game, Chambliss and the Rebels’ offense had quite enough time to retake the lead. He did just that, finding trusty tight end Dae’Quan Wright for 24 yards to send the Rebels faithful ballistic.
Ole Miss wanted to go for two in hopes of making it a three-point lead, and Chambliss came through again, finding a wide open Caleb Odom for the key score.
It was up to Beck and the Miami offense to keep the game alive with at least tying the game at 27 apiece. On a crucial third-and-10 just inside field goal range, Beck was confident with his pass to Marion to get well within range. Another pass to Marion made it first-and-goal, and it was clear Miami wasn’t trying to force overtime. They wanted to win it all.
How fitting was it that Beck, scanning the field, found a seam to his left and just sprinted for the colored paint to score the game-winner with 18 seconds left.
But things got fascinating at the end, with Ole Miss going 40 yards in just a few seconds to set up a Hail Mary for the win. Chambliss had the space to loft a pass to the end zone, and though it hit off the hand of a teammate, it landed incomplete for the Miami victory.
Carson Beck of the Miami Hurricanes passes the ball against the Ole Miss Rebels in the first quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
In the box score, Beck was 23-of-37 for 268 yards with his two passing touchdowns and an interception. Marion was a key player in the victory with seven catches for 114 yards, while Mark Fletcher Jr. set the tone in the ground game with 133 yards rushing on 22 carries. Toney also tallied 81 receiving yards for Miami.
For Ole Miss, Chambliss also went 23-of-37 for 277 yards with his touchdown to Wright, who finished with 64 yards on three grabs. De’Zhaun Stribling was five for 77 through the air, while Lacy rushed for 103 yards on 11 carries.
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