The Los Angeles Dodgers re-signed Clayton Kershaw to a one-year deal with a player option for the 2025 season right before spring training got underway.
Kershaw, who won't return until "July-ish, August-ish," will have a chance to make $37.5 million over the next two seasons. He has $10 million guaranteed in 2023, with the ability to make up to $12.5 million.
In 2024, his bonuses are as follows (via The Associated Press):
- Six starts or relief appearances of at least three innings: $1 million bonus
- Seven, eight and nine starts or relief appearances of at least three innings: $1.5 million bonus
- 10 starts or relief appearances of at least three innings: $2 million bonus
In 2025, he has the ability to make up to $25 million.
Kershaw's contract for 2025 has five levels of performance bonuses, which depend on his 2024 starts or relief appearances of at least three innings. Additionally, if Kershaw is healthy at the end of the 2024 season, his player option would escalate to $15 million.
Here's the bonus breakdown for 2025:
- If he has six or fewer appearances in 2024, he would earn $1 million for each start from 8-25.
- If he has seven appearances in 2024, he would earn $1 million for each start from 11-25.
- If he has eight appearances in 2024, he would earn $1 million for each start from 14-25.
- If he has nine appearances in 2024, he would earn $1 million for each start from 17-25.
- If he has 10 appearances in 2024, he would earn $1 million for each start from 21-25.
If Kershaw is able to return by August, he should be able to get up to eight or 10 such appearances in 2024.
More must-reads: