The Los Angeles Dodgers have made Clayton Kershaw a very rich man.
Kershaw has agreed to a seven-year, $215 million contract with the Dodgers, according to ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne. The deal makes Kershaw the highest-paid pitcher in Major League Baseball history.
Kershaw’s new contract surpasses Justin Verlander‘s seven-year, $180 million deal with the Detroit Tigers. The left-hander’s $30.7 million average annual salary is the highest such figure in MLB history, although Alex Rodriguez‘s 10-year, $275 million contract still stands as the largest contract ever in terms of total dollars.
Kershaw was one of 146 major leaguers to file for arbitration Tuesday, but FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal — who has since confirmed the new deal — reported Wednesday morning that the two sides were nearing a record-setting extension. It was clear that both parties wanted to continue their productive relationship.
Kershaw, who turns 26 in March, just won the second Cy Young award of his six-year career. The southpaw went 16-9 with a 1.83 ERA, 232 strikeouts and a 0.92 WHIP in 2013 and is widely considered the best pitcher in baseball.
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