Just hours before Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw’s deadline to opt-out of his current contract approaches, the 30-year-old ace is reportedly nearing a new contract with Los Angeles.
According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, both sides are reportedly “very close” to a deal and it could be reached by the deadline at 4 p.m. EST on Friday.
Sources: The Los Angeles Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw are nearing a deal that would keep him in Los Angeles. One source said it's "very close." The expectation was that he would stay, and as the 4 p.m. ET deadline nears, it's looking like a reality.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 2, 2018
Kershaw, who was expected to opt-out of the final two years of his contract that would pay him roughly $70 million over the next two seasons, is coming off a 2018 season with a 2.73 ERA and 1.04 WHIP across 26 starts. However, he once again dealt with inconsistency in the postseason, losing Game 1 and 5 of the World Series.
The terms of the deal will be key as the 30-year-old has dealt with ongoing back issues for years now. Kershaw likely wants a deal of three-plus years on the contract, but it could also come at the cost of his average annual salary.
Either way, the southpaw will likely now remain with the organization he has spent his entire career with and will try once again in the coming years to finally bring a ring to Los Angeles.