Dodgers Reportedly Agree on Seven-Year, $215 Million Extension with Clayton Kershaw

The excitement of free agency dies once again …

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Dodgers and ace Clayton Kershaw, who was to be a free agent after this season, have agreed to a monster seven-year, $215 million extension. Kershaw will have the right to opt-out after five years, per Shelburne.

We heard earlier that an extension might be coming this week, and Kershaw is now locked up through his age 32 season at just over $30 million per year, which is obviously a record for pitchers. It’s a tremendous amount of money to commit to a pitcher, but Kershaw will be only 26 this year, and he’s among the best in baseball. The Dodgers had to do this, and they’ve got the money to bear the risk. I doubt this deal alters the landscape for top pitching too much, given that Kershaw is both uncommonly elite and uncommonly young.

So, will the Dodgers still aggressively pursue Masahiro Tanaka? I guess we’ll see. I wouldn’t count it out.