Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw agree to extend opt-out deadline - MLB

The Dodgers announced on Wednesday night that the club and starter Clayton Kershaw have agreed to extend his opt-out deadline until Friday at 4 PM ET.

Kershaw, 30, can opt out of his current contract to become a free agent or he can stay on his current contract which would pay him $32 million in 2019 and $33 million in 2020. The two sides can also work out a new contract extension as well.

Kershaw finished this past season with a 2.73 ERA and a 155/29 K/BB ratio in 161 1/3 innings. He had mixed results in the postseason as his team won three of his six starts while he allowed 15 runs (14 earned) on 25 hits and seven walks with 26 strikeouts in 30 innings.

Notably, Kershaw failed to reach 30 starts for the third consecutive season and for the fourth time in the last five seasons. He has been bothered by back issues in recent years. Among seasons in which he has pitched 110 or more innings, Kershaw’s strikeout rate this past season at 23.9 was a career low as was his 90.9 MPH average fastball velocity.

Follow @Baer_Bill

HOUSTON – Yordan Alvarez hit a go-ahead three-run double in the seventh inning, and the Houston Astros rallied past the Chicago White Sox 6-3 on Friday night for their first win of the season.

Kyle Tucker hit a two-run homer in the sixth and made a spectacular catch at the wall in the seventh to rob Andrew Benintendi of extra bases and keep the World Series champion Astros within one run.

Eloy Jimenez hit two RBI doubles for the White Sox, both off Astros starter Cristian Javier.

Jimenez’s first double scored Tim Anderson in the first inning. In the sixth, Javier gave up three straight doubles to Benintendi, Jimenez and Joan Moncada to make it 3-0 and end his night.

White Sox reliever Kendall Graveman (0-1) loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh on two walks and a single. Jake Diekman came on and gave up Alvarez’s double to deep left-center, a drive that just eluded Luis Robert Jr. and bounced off the wall, clearing the bases.

Four Astros relievers each worked one scoreless inning. Seth Martinez (1-0) got the win and Rafael Montero handled the ninth for his first save.

Chicago starter Lance Lynn allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

ALL IN A DAY’S REST

White Sox INF Andrew Vaughn, who hit a go-ahead two-run double in Thursday’s season-opening win, did not play. Vaughn experienced lower back issues during spring training. Gavin Sheets started at first base.

HOMETOWN HIT

Astros outfielder Corey Yulks, a Houston-area native, singled in his first at-bat and finished 1-for-4 in his major league debut.

PUT A RING ON IT

Astros owner Jim Crane and his wife, Whitney, presented the team and staff with their 2022 World Series rings in a pregame ceremony.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: LHP Blake Taylor, who is on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow strain, began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land.

UP NEXT

The four-game season-opening series continues Saturday when Houston’s Jose Urquidy faces Chicago’s Lucas Giolito.