CLEVELAND (AP) — Jose Ramirez has forced parents to dig deep into their pockets.
The All-Star third baseman agreed a $124 million, five-year contract on the eve of opening day with Cleveland, a franchise that hasn't been able to swing by with baseball's big spenders for years.
Ramirez's deal runs until the 2028 season, a person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ramirez still needs to finalize a physical and several other details before the contract becomes official.
It would be baseball's 16th contract of $100 million or more that would end the World Series.
The Guardians begin the 2022 season - their first game since changing their name from the Indians - in Kansas City on Thursday.
Representatives for the team and Ramirez had been in talks about a deal for weeks at training camp in Arizona. Ramirez, 29, had expressed a desire to end his career with Cleveland, which signed him to the Dominican Republic as a teenager.
Ramirez has blossomed into one of baseball's best all-round players, able to influence the game with his bat, gloves and bases, where he usually loses his helmet while running to the next base.
Cleveland owner Paul Dolan has long been criticized for not spending enough on players because the Guardians have acted almost as a feeder to the game's larger markets, such as Francisco Lindor, Manny Ramirez, CC Sabathia. And Cliff Lee Withers is being traded or given away for free. Agent because the team couldn't afford to keep him.
But over the past few days, the Guardians have locked Ramirez and nearly agreed to a five-year contract with Emmanuel Claes.
With Ramirez in his lineup and a solid starting rotation, the Guardians should be able to stay in contention at AL Central.
Ramirez's new deal doubles Cleveland's biggest ever contract, up from the $60 million he committed to slugger Edwin Encarnesian five years ago.
Ramirez had two years left for the five-year, $26 million contract he signed in 2016. That deal included two team options—$12 million in 2022 and $14 million the following season—which made him the highest-paid player on Cleveland's roster.
Their new deal also includes a complete no-trade clause.
A three-time All-Star, Ramirez batted .266 last season with 36 homers and 103 RBIs. He has been in the top three in the MVP voting thrice in the last five seasons.