Baseball’s Unresolved Contracts, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers

(AP) — The Chicago Cubs exercised their $20 million option on Cole Hamels on Friday, solidifying their rotation for next year, and traded fellow left-hander Drew Smyly to the Texas Rangers.

Hamels, who turns 35 in December, went 4-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 12 starts after he was acquired in a July 27 trade with Texas — a frequent trade partner for Chicago since Theo Epstein took over the Cubs’ front office in 2011. Had the Cubs declined the option and paid a $6 million buyout, the Rangers would have paid the Cubs an additional $6 million.

And what about the Dodgers situation with Clayton Kershaw?

The Dodgers are in ongoing negotiations with ace Clayton Kershaw, and they still need to resolve the future of manager Dave Roberts, too.

According to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, the talks with Kershaw’s camp are “ongoingly pleasant.”

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and the team agreed to extend the deadline on Kershaw’s opt-out decision until Friday afternoon.

Kershaw can opt out of the last two years and $65 million of his contract to become a free agent for the first time in an 11-year big league career spent entirely with the Dodgers.

The Dodgers and Roberts discussed a contract extension going back to spring training without reaching a deal. Roberts has said he expects to be back next year.

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