Could the Dodgers’ Dan Haren really walk away from $10 million?

Nobody walks away from $10 million. I mean, nobody on this planet. Nobody who isn’t being chased by guys in white coats or just returned by aliens.

But Dan Haren might. He might not, too, he just doesn’t know and doesn’t figure to know until after the postseason.

Understand, Monday night Haren earned $10 million. He hit the 180-inning mark for the season, which automatically vested his option to pitch in 2015 for a cool $10 mil.

Unless, of course, he decides to retire. He’s 34, has pitched in the majors for 12 years, has earned over $70 million and is married with two young children.

“I think I’ve earned the right to wait until the end of the season and take a deep breath, see where my family’s at and go from there,” Haren said. “I think I’ve pitched good enough to deserve that.”

Haren has started a team-high 31 games for the Dodgers, going 13-11 with a 4.03 ERA. He has been particularly effective recently, going 3-1 with a 1.89 ERA in his last six starts.

Monday night he allowed a leadoff home run to the Giants’ Gregor Blanco and then never gave up another hit in his seven innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out seven.

“I felt really good,” he said. “I’ve been throwing the ball good for the last few weeks, you take out a start or two. But when the team needs me, I need to be able to step up. I’ve done my best when guys have been down this year. I don’t know if I’m going to be one-hit-in-seven-innings good but I feel like I’m going to give us a good chance every time I go out there.”

Haren said he’s thinking about the playoffs now, not whether he’ll return next season $10 million richer. Which is not to say, he hadn’t give the significance of throwing 180 innings and what it meant any thought.

“Oh, absolutely,” he said. “Of course I think about it.”

One of the things that makes Haren so refreshing is his honesty. He’s not only one of the nicest guys you could meet, he’s brutally honest with teammates, coaches, media and himself.

So if he says he’s uncertain whether he will actually return next season to make another $10 million, best believe him. He pointed out right-hander Gil Meche walked away from $12 million with the Royals in 2011.

“Same agent [Greg Landry] as me, so he’s done it,” Haren said. “I don’t know. I don’t want to downplay the money. It’s a ton of money. That said, I’ve been really lucky and I’ve pitched good and had a great career and made a lot of money. It’s really not about that anymore. In California $10 million is like, what, $3 million? So it’s not that much.”

At which point several reporters volunteered they would have to take his word on it. But asked if it was at least likely that he would return to the Dodgers next season, Haren just shook his head.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I really like the guys. Everybody’s been great to me. With a week left in the season, it’s hard to really think about the next year or make a decision about next year. I would love to have one more good start and three good starts in the playoffs.”

And then think about that $10-million offer.