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The Los Angeles Dodgers are close to a contract extension with right fielder Andre Ethier for five-years and $85 million, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
sources: Andre Ethier & Dodgers are close to completing contract extension. deal is $85M over 5 years. tinyurl.com/7km4awf
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) June 12, 2012
The deal will include a sixth-year vesting option but is not believed to have the protection of a no-trade clause.
The 30-year-old Ethier is off to one of his best seasons yet, hitting .292/.353/.518 with 10 home runs and 52 RBI through 60 games.
The extension marks the first big deal for the Dodgers new ownership team of Mark Walter, Stan Kasten and Magic Johnson, who took over for the feckless Frank McCourt just two months ago. Ethier would have been a free agent at the end of the 2012 season but now will remain in Dodger blue until at least 2017.