Is Clayton Kershaw's 18-season career coming to an end? Dodgers star looks at NBC for next role

Clayton Kershaw's storied on-field chapter as part of the Los Angeles Dodgers appears to be nearing its end, but the future Hall of Famer is already poised to play a prominent new role in Major League Baseball. The 37-year-old left-hander is reportedly "nearing a deal" with NBC Sports to join the network's MLB coverage beginning in the 2026 season, according to Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports'. With NBC diving into a new media-rights era and reshaping its baseball broadcasts, Kershaw's potential move has quickly become one of the league's most interesting post-retirement moves.

NBC goes after Kershaw in the new MLB broadcast era

NBC's interest in Kershaw comes as the network signs a three-year agreement with MLB starting in 2026. The deal is another sign of NBC's return to marquee baseball programming, including "Sunday Night Baseball," MLB Sunday Morning Leadoff games on Peacock, and full coverage of the Wild Card round. NBCUniversal will also air select All-Star Week events on its broadcast network, NBC Sports cable channel, and the Peacock streaming service.

While the precise scope of Kershaw's role remains unclear, both Front Office Sports and The Athletic have reported that he would likely appear for select events rather than weekly. Legendary broadcaster Bob Costas has already been announced as the host of NBC'sMLB studio shows, with Jason Benetti widely viewed as the front-runner for the network’s play-by-play announcer. However, Kershaw's move to television would not be completely new territory. He made several guest appearances on SportsNet LA telecasts near the end of his playing career and got strong reviews for his analysis.

Historic Dodgers career, family focus, and what’s next?

Kershaw concluded his 18-season career in MLB after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series in 2025, with 223 wins, three National League Cy Young Awards, one MVP trophy, 11 All-star and two championship rings. By announcing his retirement weeks before the end of the season, he gave the franchise and fans a chance to commemorate him during his last homestead. Off the field, family has been his center stage. Kershaw and his wife, Ellen, welcomed their fifth child, a girl, Chloe, in December to join siblings Cali, Charley, Cooper, and Chance. He has talked about wanting to spend more time at home in Dallas, which is in line with reports that any NBC job would come with limited studio appearances.

The Dodgers discussed retaining him in the organization with the president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, offering a position in the front office, which Kershaw reportedly declined. He is, however, set to suit up again by joining Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, a reminder that while his playing days in Dodger blue may be over, his presence in baseball is far from done.


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