Kershaw can earn up to $37.5 million over 2 years under new Dodgers deal that guarantees $10 million

By: Ronald Blum, The Associated Press Posted: 5:32 PM CST Monday, Feb. 12, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Clayton Kershaw can make up to $37.5 million over two seasons as part of his new contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, getting the full amount depending on how many starts he makes following shoulder surgery.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/02/2024 (965 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A three-time NL Cy Young Award winner who turns 36 on March 19, Kershaw is guaranteed $10 million as part of the agreement announced Friday. He can earn up to $12.5 million this year and $25 million in 2025.

Kershaw gets a $5 million salary this year and can earn $7.5 million in performance bonuses for what his deal defines as starts or relief appearances of three or more innings. He would get $1 million for six, $1.5 million each for seven, eight and nine, and $2 million for 10, according to terms obtained by The Associated Press.

FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw winds up during a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in San Francisco, Sept. 30, 2023. Kershaw says he will return for his 17th season with the Dodgers. He says he will be back with the team as part of an agreement that includes a player option for 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Kershaw has a $5 million player option for 2025, which if he is healthy at the end of the 2024 season can escalate by $15 million based on the same criteria of starts or relief outings of three or more innings: $2 million for six, $3 million each for seven, eight and nine, and $4 million for 10.

He has five levels of 2025 performance bonuses, depending on his 2024 starts or relief appearances of three or more innings:

— if six or fewer in 2024, Kershaw could earn up to $18 million in 2025: $1 million each from 8-25;

— if seven in 2024, Kershaw could earn up to $15 million in 2025: $1 million each from 11-25;

— if eight in 2024, Kershaw could earn up to $12 million in 2025: $1 million each from 14-25;

— if nine in 2024, Kershaw could earn up to $12 million in 2025: $1 million each from 17-25;

— if 10 in 2024, Kershaw could earn up to $5 million in 2015: $1 million each from 21-25.

His maximum 2025 compensation is $25 million, the agreement says.

A 210-game winner, Kershaw hopes to return to a major league mound this summer. He had surgery on Nov. 3 to repair the glenohumeral ligaments and his shoulder capsule. There are three glenohumeral ligaments and they reinforce the joint capsule.

Kershaw was 13-5 with 2.46 ERA in 131 2/3 innings over 24 starts last season. He was sidelined between June 27 and Aug. 10 by left shoulder soreness and when he returned didn’t top 5 1/3 innings or 84 pitches.

He gave up six runs while getting one out in the NL Division Series opener, and Arizona went on to a three-game sweep.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb