NBC and Clayton Kershaw are nearing a deal for the future Hall of Fame pitcher to have a role in the network’s MLB studio coverage, sources told Front Office Sports.
FOS previously reported that Kershaw would be the “no. 1 pick” in a draft of TV talents this offseason, and The Athletic reported that Kershaw is a top target for NBC to work select dates.
An NBC spokesperson declined to comment.
Kershaw, 37, was a three-time NL Cy Young winner and three-time World Series champion in an 18-year career with the Dodgers. He retired after this past season; he had 223 career wins.
The Dodgers are primed to be a hot-button topic given that they recently acquired stars Kyle Tucker Edwin Diaz—after winning the last two World Series championships.
NBC is getting back into baseball, taking over ESPN’s vacated Sunday Night Baseball package as well as games on Sunday morning on the Peacock streaming service, and the MLB Wild-Card round.
NBC announced last week that legendary broadcaster Bob Costas is returning to the network to host its MLB studio coverage.
“The media landscape has changed, it’s true. But the next two deals here allow Sunday night to become sports night year-round on NBC—Sunday Night Football, Sunday Night NBA, Sunday Night Baseball,” Costas said on a media conference call, as covered by FOS’s Michael McCarthy.
