Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers Agree To Seven-Year, $215 Million Deal
The Los Angeles Dodgers and ace left-handed starter Clayton Kershaw have agreed to a seven-year, $215 million contract. Kershaw and the Dodgers have reportedly been speaking in recent days and the two sides wanted to get a deal done before Friday’s salary arbitration filing deadline.
After another Cy Young season, it was projected by MLB Trade Rumors that Kershaw would get close to $18-$19 million in arbitration. Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLA was the first to report the deal was done:
The Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw have agreed on a seven year, $215 million contract, sources have told ESPN. Out after five
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 15, 2014
Kershaw will receive the richest contract for a starting pitcher in major league baseball after Detroit Tigers Justin Verlander and Seattle Mariners Felix Hernandez both had contracts exceed $175 million and $180 million before incentives kick in.
The deal calls for the 25-year-old left-hander to have an opt-out clause in his contract after year five and he’d be just 30-years-old. Kershaw and the Dodgers had talks during the season about a 10-year, $300 million contract, but the number being reported is significantly lower than expected.
It’s a great day to be a Dodger fan and president Stan Kasten said earlier this morning when asked about the Dodgers pursuit of Masahiro Tanaka that two contracts don’t usually relate to each other. Kershaw and Tanaka have the same agent, Casey Close, and hopefully they’ll have another announcement to make about the 25-year-old right-hander very shortly.
Here’s the breakdown of the contract via Jon Heyman of CBSSports:
kershaw breakdown: 22M in '14 (18M sign bonus, 4M sal), 30M in '15, 32M in '16, 33M in '17 & '18, 32M in '19. 33M in '20
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 16, 2014
__________________________________________________________________________________________
ICYMI: Here’s the latest on the Dodgers pursuit of Masahiro Tanaka
So glad! First purchase of the new season is a Kerhsaw jersey!
Would of liked for Kershaw signed for more years