Dodgers Sign Clayton Kershaw To 7-Year Contract

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles Dodgers Friday signed left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw to a seven-year contract, rumored to be worth $215 million.

"L.A. has become a second home to me and my wife, and I'm excited for the opportunity to represent the city for a long time to come," the Texas native said.

Kershaw, 25, is a two-time Cy Young Award winner since joining the team in 2008.

He already ranks among the all-tim Dodger leaders in ERA, strikeouts, wins, games started and innings pitched, the organization said.

Kershaw would have been eligible for free agency after the upcoming season if the new deal hadn't been reached. He was eligible for salary arbitration, and those figures were set to be exchanged on Friday. He was coming off a two-year, $20 million deal that included $200,000 in bonuses in 2012, a $500,000 escalator to his 2013 base salary, and $300,000 in bonuses last year.

Kershaw was originally selected by the Dodgers in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft out of Highland Park (Texas) High School.