The Sports Report: Clayton Kershaw returns to the Dodgers

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Jack Harris: The sun hasn’t set on Clayton Kershaw’s Dodgers tenure after all.

On Tuesday, the free-agent pitcher and Dodgers icon agreed to a contract to return to the team, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly, keeping the veteran left-hander in Los Angeles as he embarks upon the most uncertain stretch of his decorated 16-year career.

While full terms of the contract were not immediately known, the deal is for one season with a player option in 2025, according to another person with knowledge of the situation.

Sources said Kershaw was scheduled for a physical later this week in Arizona, after which the signing would be finalized.

Starting Thursday, teams can put players on the 60-day injured list — at which point, the Dodgers would be able to clear a 40-man roster space to officially add both Kershaw and reliever Ryan Brasier (who also agreed to re-sign with the team this week) and then put Kershaw on the 60-day IL as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.

After experiencing shoulder troubles late last season — when he managed a sterling 2.46 ERA in 24 regular-season starts before being battered in the playoffs by the Arizona Diamondbacks — Kershaw underwent a procedure in November to repair the gleno-humeral ligaments and capsule of his throwing shoulder.

The operation marked Kershaw’s first surgery as a player. It probably will keep him off the mound until at least the second half of the upcoming season. And, as he nears his 36th birthday, it will present perhaps the biggest obstacle yet in his bid to maintain dominance late into his Hall of Fame-caliber career.

Yet, it wasn’t enough to force Kershaw into retirement, nor prompt a long-speculated move to his hometown Texas Rangers — the only other team the Dallas native has said he would consider playing for.

Instead, for a third straight offseason, he elected to return to the Dodgers as a free agent.

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SUPER BOWL

From Chuck Schilken: Brock Purdy is the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.

In other words, the 24-year-old is a pretty relevant guy these days.

So is Purdy ready to ditch the nickname he shares with every other guy who has the dubious distinction of being the very last player selected in the NFL draft in a given year?

“Do I think it’s time to pick a new nickname?” Purdy said in response to a reporter’s question Monday during Super Bowl opening night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. “I’m OK with Mr. Irrelevant. It’s all good.”

Purdy played four years at Iowa State, where he passed for 12,170 yards and 81 touchdowns — both school records — with only 33 passes intercepted, which isn’t even in the top five for most-ever at the school. Yet, he was still available in the seventh round of the 2022 draft, and the 49ers took him with the 262nd and final pick.

In two seasons, Purdy has played in 25 regular season games and is 17-4 as a starter. He has completed 69% of his passes for 5,654 yards with 44 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He’s also 4-1 in the playoffs, completing 63% of his passes for 1,088 yards with five touchdowns and one interception.

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Super Bowl LVIII: Start time, teams, betting odds and halftime show

Sunday
at Las Vegas
Kansas City vs. San Francisco, 3:30 p.m. PT, CBS, Paramount+

RAMS

From Gary Klein: Early in his coaching career, new Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula shied at times on introduction from revealing his last name.

Shula, the grandson of legendary NFL coach Don Shula and son of former NFL coach David Shula, did not want others to jump to conclusions.

“I was almost a little embarrassed about it because I didn’t want people to think I got into certain positions because of the last name,” Shula said Tuesday during a video conference with reporters. “So I think that was some of the motivation.

“I always had a little chip on my shoulder to kind of work extra hard to show that I earned whatever role I got.”

Patrick Mahomes’ respect for Matthew Stafford is as big as Texas

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CHARGERS

From Helene Elliott: Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz is happy to act as sidekick Robin to coach Jim Harbaugh’s Batman during the NFL season, as Harbaugh described his vision for their new partnership. Hortiz is equally willing to reverse roles to play Batman to Harbaugh’s Robin while making personnel decisions during the offseason, as Harbaugh outlined last week during his introductory news conference.

Hortiz did have one reservation about bringing to life the superhero scenario the pair discussed for years before Harbaugh and Hortiz were hired, in that order, with welcome, new boldness from the Spanos family.

“The only thing is, I’m not wearing tights, all right?” Hortiz said Tuesday, drawing laughter at his first news conference. “I’ll put the cape on, but I’m not wearing tights, all right?”

Fair enough. But there’s no disputing that the task of resuscitating the Chargers, who were an ugly 5-12 last season and face severe salary-cap challenges, requires nothing less than the might and dedication of a caped crusader. Or two.

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Greg Roman and Jesse Minter set to join Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers staff

UCLA BASKETBALL

From Ben Bolch: A stickler for healthy eating, Lazar Stefanovic allowed himself a rare indulgence after his double-double in points and rebounds helped UCLA beat Oregon: a Double-Double from In-N-Out.

The gooey goodness was on brand for the moment, even if the 610 calories and 34 grams of fat weren’t as satisfying as the 15 points and 10 rebounds the junior guard logged against the Ducks.

Coach Mick Cronin cited Stefanovic’s maniacal diet as one of the reasons he has become perhaps the Bruins’ most dependable player. Then again, In-N-Out could have been a fitting name, image and likeness sponsor for Stefanovic through the season’s first two months for a different reason — too many of his shots went in and out.

He was often hesitant, slow to shoot and not very accurate when he did. Even though Stefanovic’s defense and rebounding remained solid, critics labeled him a bust and questioned Cronin’s evaluation in recruiting him as a transfer from Utah.

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SOCCER

From Kevin Baxter: Major League Soccer had a problem.

With clubs spread all over the country, scheduling quality preseason matches was proving to be a problem. If a team stayed home during training camp, it would be limited to playing college teams, lower-tier opponents or holding intrasquad scrimmages. Journeying to play against MLS rivals, on the other hand, would add to what is already one of the most arduous and fatiguing travel schedules of any first-division league in the world.

“I think back to a preseason in Toronto, where you can’t really stay in Toronto,” said Galaxy coach Greg Vanney, who managed in Canada for parts of seven seasons. “We flew to Los Angeles to do the first part, then we went back to Toronto, then we went to Mexico City to do a part, then we came back, and then we went somewhere else to start our season.

“By the time you’re done with that, you’ve already traveled 8,000 miles.”

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THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1882 — John L. Sullivan wins the world heavyweight bare-knuckle title by beating Paddy Ryan in a nine-round bout in Mississippi City, Miss.

1949 — Joe DiMaggio signs his contract with the New York Yankees, making him the first baseball player to earn $100,000 per year.

1969 — Diana Crump becomes the first female jockey to race at a U.S. pari-mutuel track. She rode her first mount to 10th place in a field of 12 in Hialeah, Fla.

1970 — Pete Maravich scores 69 points, including 47 in the second half, to set a NCAA record, but LSU loses to Alabama 106-104.

1976 — Darryl Sittler of the Toronto Maple Leafs sets an NHL record for points in a game with six goals and four assists in an 11-4 victory over the Boston Bruins.

1990 — Lisa Leslie of Morningside High in Inglewood scores 101 points in the first half against South Torrance High. The final score is 102-24 as the coach of South Torrance decides not to bring his team out for the second half.

1995 — Joe Mullen becomes the first American-born player to reach 1,000 points in the NHL when he assists on two of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first three goals in a 7-3 victory over Florida.

2010 — Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints rally to beat Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in the Super Bowl.

2015 — Philadelphia University coach Herb Magee becomes the second NCAA men’s basketball coach to win 1,000 games. Magee, who won 1,000 games over 48 seasons at the school, hits the milestone with the Rams’ 80-60 win over Post.

2016 — Von Miller forces two fumbles to set up Denver’s two touchdowns and the Broncos defense frustrates Cam Newton all game to carry Peyton Manning to his second Super Bowl title with a 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

2021 — Sarah Thomas becomes the first woman to referee a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay, Florida.

2023 — LeBron James scores 38 points to become NBA’s all-time leading scorer as the Lakers go down 133-130 to Oklahoma City Thunder in Los Angeles; surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387 career points.

Compiled by the Associated Press