The Dodgers are closing in on a five-year, $85MM extension with Andre Ethier according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The contract contains a sixth year vesting option (Twitter links).

Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times adds that the vesting option would likely push the deal to $100MM total. Hernandez goes on to say that the deal is expected to be finalized tomorrow. The proposed contract would pay Ethier $13.5MM in 2013, $15MM in 2014, $18MM in 2015-16, and $17.5MM in 2017. The option for 2018 would be for another $17.5MM with a $2.5MM buyout (All Twitter links).

We've heard about a possible Ethier extension several times over the past few months, and the right fielder has said recently that he wouldn't put a deadline on extension talks. The 30-year-old is making $10.95MM this season after avoiding arbitration with a one-year contract this past winter.

Ethier has spent his entire career in Dodger blue after he was traded to L.A. from Oakland in exchange for Milton Bradley. Ethier boasts a solid .291/.363/.482 slash line for his career, but has a less-than-stellar defensive reputation. Ultimate Zone Rating hasn't been kind to him, rating him as 6.2 runs below average per 150 games in more than 5,700 career innings. The other big question with Ethier lies in his durability; he's spent time on the disabled list in each of the past two seasons.

MLBTR's Dan Mennella examined the CAA Sports client's free agent stock in April, noting that he represented the best bet at landing a big contract among upcoming free agent right fielders.

This post was originally published on June 11 at 11:57pm CT.