Baseball-Dodgers toss Kershaw record $215 million deal, report

Jan 15 (Reuters) - Reigning Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw has agreed a record-breaking seven-year $215 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to a report on the Major League Baseball website on Wednesday. The report said the deal for the 25-year-old offered an opt-out after five years and the annual value of $30.714 million was a new record. The deal would also eclipse the $180 million five-year contract Justin Verlander agreed with the Detroit Tigers in March to make him the highest paid pitcher. Kershaw, who had filed for salary arbitration on Tuesday, has won two Cy Young awards in the last three seasons with his latest coming in a campaign that saw him finish 16-9 with a Major League-best ERA of 1.83. (Writing by Jahmal Corner. Editing by Patrick Johnston)