According to a report via Buster Olney of ESPN, the Los Angeles Dodgers are so serious about retaining the services of this season’s probable NL CY Young winner Clayton Kershaw, that they offered him the largest contract a pitcher has ever gotten, earlier this year.
The Los Angeles Dodgers offered left-hander Clayton Kershaw essentially a lifetime contract in the range of $300 million — “an A-Rod deal” — earlier this season, according to a source with knowledge of its scope and structure.
The two sides were unable to finish negotiations, sources say, because Kershaw was initially uncertain about committing to a deal so encompassing, and about having contract talks during the season.
But the negotiations progressed enough that there is confidence among some with knowledge of the talks that a long-term deal — perhaps more conservative in length than the massive contract initially proposed by the Dodgers — will be concluded this winter, with a significant portion of money being devoted to a charity of Kershaw’s choosing.
While Kershaw is arguably the best player at his position in baseball at the moment, making such a huge commitment to a pitcher would be taking a risk of all risks, just because his form and/0r health can go south at any time.
The Dodgers ownership which includes Magic Johnson, seem unafraid of throwing large sums of cash around thus far, and are determined to attain championship glory at any cost.