Christian Yelich, Brewers agree to massive nine-year, $215 million extension
The Milwaukee Brewers aren’t willing to let their biggest star leave town. The team agreed to a massive nine-year, $215 million extension with outfielder Christian Yelich. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was the first to report the two sides were close.
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Yelich, 28, has blossomed into one of the best players in the majors since joining the Brewers in 2018. In his two seasons in Milwaukee, Yelich has hit .327/.415/.631, with 80 home runs.
The Brewers announced the deal Friday.
What will Christian Yelich’s new deal with Brewers look like?
The Brewers signed Yelich to a new contract even though he was still under team control through the 2021 season. Yelich signed a seven-year, $49.57 million extension with the Miami Marlins in 2015. That deal included an option for 2022. The contract has been considered one of the most team-friendly contracts in baseball, especially after the past couple years.
Under the new contract, Yelich will play out the 2020 and 2021 seasons of the Marlins’ contract. His new deal will kick in during the 2022 season, which is what Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported Tuesday.
Hear when concluded that the next two years on Yelich deal will stay the same $12.5 million this season and $14 million next. But the $15M 2022 option will be torn up and 7 yrs added for a total of 9 yrs in the $215M range
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 3, 2020
The deal will include a mutual option for the 2029 season, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The deal will also include contract deferrals, according to Rosenthal.
How does the Yelich extension impact baseball moving forward?
For the Brewers, getting Yelich under contract doesn’t impact the team’s chances in 2020. But it does give both the team and its fans a star player to support for years to come. That significant in Milwaukee, which isn’t typically thought of as a team that can spend a ton of money. The Brewers have shelled out money for significant talent in the past, extending Ryan Braun and signing Lorenzo Cain for $80 million, but Yelich’s rumored deal is in a completely different stratosphere.
The move will also make Yelich one of the highest paid players in the league, a title he’s most definitely earned after the past two seasons. It also lets other pitchers around the National League Central know they’ll have to face Yelich for years to come — a terrifying thought. It also tells potential free agents they’ll play with a bonafide star if they sign with the Brewers, and shows that the Brewers are committed to keeping elite talent.
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