The Los Angeles Dodgers have reached an agreement with ace Clayton Kershaw on a $215 million contract extension that will keep him with the club for seven more years.
Ramona Shelburne of ESPN broke the news:
Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times says the Dodgers are expected to announce the deal Friday:
ESPN's Buster Olney added context to how big of a contract this is:
Mike Mazzeo of ESPN offers further perspective on the numbers:
Kershaw has developed into one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, and the Dodgers didn't want to run even the slightest risk of losing him. Since the team had no problem throwing money around to build the roster, paying one of its own was probably a simple choice.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported late in the process that the extended negotiations included several different proposals. The Dodgers originally backed off during talks over a $210 million deal last season that included an opt-out clause:
Fox Sports reported in August that Kershaw was close to signing a record-setting, seven-year extension in the $210 million range earlier last season before the Dodgers backed off.
The contract under discussion then would have included an opt-out clause, giving Kershaw the right to become a free agent after five years, sources said.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports puts the deal into perspective:
Shaikin provides AJ Ellis' take on the contract:
The 25-year-old starter's highest ERA over the past five seasons is 2.91. To put that in perspective, that number would have been good enough to rank seventh in the National League in 2013, ahead of Adam Wainwright and Stephen Strasburg. And that was Kershaw's worst season of the past five.
For his career, he sports a 2.60 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He has struck out 1,206 batters in 1,180 innings. As if that's not enough to prove he's one of the game's best, the lefty has also tossed seven shutouts and posted a career record more than 30 games over .500.
Those eye-popping overall stats were bolstered by a remarkable 2013 campaign, in which Kershaw finished with a microscopic NL-leading ERA of 1.83 while helping lead the Dodgers to the postseason.
He ranks second in WHIP since 2008, as noted by MLB Play Index:
So, no matter what angle you analyze the situation, Los Angeles had little choice but to pay Kershaw top dollar to remain atop its starting rotation. If it didn't, there would have been no shortage of pitching-needy teams waiting to make him an offer.
Of course, injuries are always a serious concern when it comes to giving pitchers huge long-term deals. But Kershaw has remained durable since becoming a vital piece of the rotation, making at least 30 starts in five straight seasons.
While his ability to stay healthy in recent years doesn't guarantee that will remain the case during the duration of his new contract, it should at least give the Dodgers more confidence in his ability to maintain his workhorse tendencies.
Moving forward, anything less than elite production from Kershaw would be a surprise. His ability to attack the strike zone, thus limiting walks, while still posting a high strikeout rate is the dream combination for a starter.
All told, it didn't take long for Kershaw to establish himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball. Now, the Dodgers have rewarded him for that success.
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