Blackmon lands six-year contract
Deal for Rockies star worth $108 million
DENVER — The leadoff hitter extraordinaire with the ragged beard and impressive mullet will be patrolling the Colorado Rockies outfield for quite some time.
NL batting champion Charlie Blackmon made a long-term commitment Wednesday rather than test the free-agent market next offseason, agreeing to a contract that guarantees him $108 million over six seasons.
In January, the two-time All-Star center fielder had agreed to a $14 million, one-year deal. The new agreement announced in San Diego, where the Rockies are playing a four-game series with the Padres, calls for a $2 million signing bonus payable within 30 days of the deal’s approval by the commissioner’s office, a $12 million salary this year and $21 million in each of the next three seasons.
Blackmon has player options of $21 million for 2022 and $10 million for 2023, and his 2023 salary can escalate
up to $5 million based on plate appearances in 2022: $500,000 each for 400, 425, 450, 475, 500 and 525, and $1 million apiece for 550 and 575.
His 2023 salary would increase by $2 million if he is among the top three in MVP voting from 2018-22 and by $1 million if he finishes fourth or fifth. The 2023 salary is capped at $18 million.
The deal follows an offseason in which many top free-agent players struggled to find lucrative long-term contracts.
DODGERS-DIAMONDBACKS: In Phoenix, the Diamondbacks’ Patrick Corbin finally found a way to beat Los Angeles after going 0-8 against the Dodgers in his past 10 pitching appearances against them.
“Just had a good game plan,” said Corbin (2-0), who struck out 12 and retired the first 14 batters to start the game. “I felt great in the bullpen and carried it over into the game. Just was able to locate my fastball down and away, just keep them off balance with those breaking balls.”
POPULAR RAINOUT: In Detroit, the Kansas City Royals celebrated as if they had won.
They cheered Wednesday morning when their scheduled game against the Detroit Tigers was postponed because of inclement weather.
“It’s perfect news,” Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar said. “It’s not easy to play in this weather. Everybody saw what happened in the last game.”
With a postponement looming as a possibility on Tuesday, Kansas City breezed to its first victory of the season on a chilly, rainy afternoon. The Royals beat the Tigers 1-0 in 2 hours, 17 minutes.
“It’s really hard for the hitters,” Escobar said. “The ball doesn’t go anywhere even if it you hit it hard. Nobody wants to play like that.”
FACEBOOK: The game between the Phillies and Mets in New York on Wednesday afternoon was shown exclusively on Facebook in the United States, a streaming platform accessible on computers, select smart phones and tablets as well as smart TVs. Fans without a Facebook account either had to sign up for one or listen to their local radio broadcast.
There are 24 more digital-only broadcasts planned throughout the season featuring all 30 clubs.