Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers reportedly agree to $215 million contract extension
Clayton Kershaw is getting paid. A lot of money.
The southpaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed on a 7-year, $215 million contract extension, according to ESPN LA’s Ramona Shelburne. Kershaw, 25, just completed his sixth season in the bigs. He has gone 77-46 with a 2.60 career ERA, and he has won the Cy Young Award in two of the past three seasons.
The Dodgers were working to sign Kershaw to a long-term extension all season. They reportedly offered him a lifetime-type deal that would have paid him over $300 million, but Kershaw supposedly was hesitant to sign for that many years. This contract will allow Kershaw the ability to opt out after five years, according to Shelburne.
At over $30 million per season and $215 million overall, Kershaw will now be the highest-paid pitcher in history in both total money and average annual value. It’s hard to say he’s not deserving on it based on what he’s done, but there are definitely questions about whether he’ll be able to make it through the whole contract.
Kershaw has thrown at least 227 innings each of the past three seasons, including 259 innings last season (adding in the playoffs). At this rate, the dude’s arm is going to fall off before long.
