Faced with an already-extended deadline to exercise his opt-out clause, Clayton Kershaw reached the most logical conclusion to his amicable negotiations with the Dodgers: He looked to the future.



The two sides struck a deal Friday afternoon. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported the new agreement adds one year and $28 million, plus incentives, to the previous $65 million over two seasons, for a total of $93 million guaranteed. Conceivably, Kershaw could have garnered more on the free-agent market, which opens Saturday. Rival evaluators said his best-case scenario extended into a nine-figure pact.



But Kershaw indicated that he had little interest in uprooting his family out of its in-season home or inking a longer contract. He said it was more valuable to him to remain a Dodger, to commit to something he felt he could fulfill. And the Dodgers managed to retain a franchise icon and still-effective pitcher while minimizing their risk.



“I...