This Day In Dodgers History: Orel Hershiser Signs Contract Extension To Become First $3 Million Player

"On February 16, 1989, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Orel Hershiser to a record-setting three-year, $7.9 million contract extension. The terms of the deal included a $1.1 million signing bonus, and base salaries of $2.4 million in 1989, $1.6 million in 1990 and $2.8 million in 1991. Because his signing bonus was divided equally over the three seasons, Hershiser's salary in 1990 came out to $3,166,000, making him the first $3 million player in MLB history."

"Hershiser went 23-8 with a 2.26 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 15 complete games and eight shutouts in 35 games (34 starts) during the 1988 season. He led the league in wins, complete games, shutouts and innings pitched (267). Hershiser made history as he strung together a record streak of 59 scoreless consecutive innings that began on Aug. 30, 1988, when he finished off a complete game against the Montreal Expos with four shutout innings."

Orel Hershiser signed a three-year, $7.9 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers on February 16, 1989, including a $1.1 million signing bonus and base salaries of $2.4M (1989), $1.6M (1990) and $2.8M (1991). The bonus proration made his 1990 pay $3,166,000, making him the first $3 million player in MLB history. Hershiser went 23-8 in 1988 with a 2.26 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 15 complete games, eight shutouts and 267 innings, and he recorded a record streak of 59 consecutive scoreless innings. He earned NLCS and World Series MVP honors, the unanimous 1988 NL Cy Young Award and a Gold Glove. Hershiser was a 17th-round pick in 1979, debuted four years later, and spent 13 of 18 big-league seasons in Los Angeles, finishing 135-107 with a 3.12 ERA and 1,456 strikeouts over 2,180.2 innings.

Read at Dodger Blue