PHOENIX — There are Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers who requested their locker to be as close as possible to Clayton Kershaw.

There are Dodgers players who already have Kershaw’s jersey framed and hanging on their walls at home, while others have autographed baseballs in their trophy cases.

And there are Dodger officials already eyeing the day a statue is built in his honor, knowing no one will ever again wear No. 22 once Kershaw retires.

Kershaw, who turns 37 next month, was officially welcomed back Thursday for his 18^th season, signing a one-year, $7.5 million contract with another $8.5 million in incentives simply by staying healthy for a half season.

He doesn’t know how much longer he wants to pitch or how long his body will permit him to stay on the mound, but he wasn’t ready to walk away from the game after pitching just 30 innings last season, missing the entire postseason en route to the World Series championship.

“Hopefully I can walk out on my own terms whenever that is," Kershaw said. “But it just didn’t feel like it was the right time. You know, even though we won, being on the shelf for that wasn’t the way that I had scripted it out.

“I’m still super thankful to be a part of it last year and get to see everything, but I want to be out there when it happens.

“That was a good motivating factor for sure."

While Kershaw might have entertained the possibility of staying home in Dallas and pitching for the Texas Rangers a year ago, the thought didn't cross his mind this time around.

He will never wear another uniform, assuring that he spends his entire career with the Dodgers.

“I’m a Dodger," Kershaw flatly said. “I am so thankful for this organization. I don’t think I put enough merit on it at times of what it means to be able to be in one organization for your entire career. You look at people throughout all of sports that have been able to do that, and it is special. I don’t want to lose sight of that.

“So, getting to be here for my whole career, however long that is, is definitely a goal, and I’m thankful I get to continue with that."

Kershaw, one of the greatest pitchers of his generation, has three Cy Young awards, an MVP award, 10 All-Star selections and five ERA titles on his resume. He could leave the game right now and stroll into Cooperstown. Yet, there still are goals. He is just 32 strikeouts shy from becoming only the 20^th pitcher in baseball history to produce 3,000 strikeouts. He will tie a franchise record by completing his 18^th season in a Dodger uniform.

Most of all, he wants to leave when he’s ready, not because of injuries or age eroding his greatness.

He’s coming off surgeries on his left knee and left toe, which kept him on crutches for four weeks and a walking boot for another four weeks. He expects to be placed on the 60-day injured list when the season opens. Yet, he believes that when the 60 days expire, he’ll be ready to go by late May or early June.

“Honestly, the foot surgery has been hard,’’ Kershaw said. “It’s just not an easy process. Walking has been hard, but I finally started turning the corner a few weeks ago, being able to throw. It hasn’t felt this way in awhile, so that’s good. And the knee has been fine.

“I’m thankful now to kind of be on the other side, and I feel like I’m getting closer to being 100%. … It’s been about five or six weeks of walking and learning how to walk. And I ran here for the first time. Just a lot of baby steps."

Small steps for Kershaw, but a giant leap for the Dodgers organization, who can’t imagine life without him.

“When you say Dodgers, the first name that comes to mind is Clayton Kershaw," Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez said. “He’s the man here. He’ll always be the man."

You know you’re an icon when Blake Snell, the two-time Cy Young award winner, requested when he signed his $182 million contract during the winter that the Dodgers place his locker next to Kershaw’s in spring training at Camelback Ranch. New relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates thanked Kershaw for giving them each an autographed jersey before they signed with the Dodgers.

“I feel so lucky to be beside him," Snell said. “He’s got three Cy Youngs, and MVP, two World Series rings. I mean, he’s done everything.

“I can’t wait for the games to start so we can sit there and talk about the game, talk about situations, feelings, moments. Man, I’m excited."

Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes has been Kershaw’s teammate the past 10 years but has never taken Kershaw’s presence for granted.

“He epitomizes how to compete, what it means to be a Dodger," Barnes said. “He sets the tone for everything."

Says infielder Miguel Rojas: “He's more than just a player. He shows what this organization is all about."

Kershaw would love to go out as a World Series champion, but this time, on the mound during for a postseason run.

Who knows, if Kershaw had been able to pitch last year during the World Series, would he have called it quits? Kershaw isn't sure. He just knows that he’s back for this year and never wants to experience more surgeries and torn muscles.

“Look, I hope this is the last time I ever have to rehab," said Kershaw, who didn’t open the season until July 25 last year recovering from shoulder surgery. “I’m kind of done with that, but at the same, I don’t want that to be the reason I stop playing. I don’t want it to be, 'Ah, I just can’t do it. It hurts.’ "

If Kershaw again endures a myriad of injuries – not having pitched more than 131 innings since 2019 – the Dodgers still will be just fine. They don’t need Kershaw to regain his elite status, or even be healthy all year. They’ve got eight other starters with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, and yes, Shohei Ohtani.

“It’s pretty amazing," Kershaw said. “You have to give credit to [president] Andrew [Friedman] and ownership for going after it. We got so many talented arms. Obviously, last year we saw what can happen."

The Dodgers employed 40 different pitchers in 2024, and were left with only three healthy starters for the postseason.

“We’re throwing bullpen games in the postseason," Kershaw said. “We have a great bullpen, obviously, but that’s not the recipe. So, I think this year maybe we over-did it.

“We’ve got so many good starters, but that’s a good thing."

And, hey, any time you can add a future Hall of Famer to the mix, what can it hurt?

“As we’ve seen, pitching plays itself out in a lot of different ways," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “so to know we’ve got him in our back pocket is pretty exciting.’’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clayton Kershaw back with Dodgers: 'Lucky to be beside him'