Dodgers’ Kershaw Hits Big with Contract

A person familiar with the deal says pitcher Clayton Kershaw has agreed to a $215 million, seven-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. That makes the two-time Cy Young Award winner baseball's first player with a $30 million average salary.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not yet been announced.

Kershaw receives the most lucrative deal for a pitcher, breaking the mark of $180 million set by Justin Verlander last March for his seven-year contract with Detroit.

The average salary of $30.7 million tops the previous high of $27.5 million, set by the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez as part of a 10-year agreement December 2007.

In other baseball news:

— A person familiar with the decision says Charlie Manuel has agreed to return to the Philadelphia Phillies, accepting a position offered to him the day he was fired as manager. The 70-year-old Manuel will be a senior adviser to Phils GM Ruben Amaro Jr.

— The Arizona Diamondbacks and right-handed reliever Josh Collmenter have avoided arbitration by agreeing on a $2,425,000, two-year contract. Collmenter was 5-5 with a 3.13 ERA in 49 games last season. He led all NL relievers with 92 innings pitched.

— New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, limited to 17 games last season due to injuries, says he will probably start on-field work Monday. The Yankees captain turns 40 in June.

— Ruben Tejada (tay-HAH'-dah) and the New York Mets have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $1.1 million, one-year contract. Tejada lost his job as the team's starting shortstop last year, when he was demoted to the minors for months during an injury-plagued season, batting just .202.