The Cleveland Indians and second baseman Jason Kipnis have agreed upon a six-year extension through the 2019 season that includes a club option for 2020. Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Kipnis will make $52.5 million in the deal.
Kipnis, 27, was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the second round of the 2009 draft out of Arizona State University. Kipnis was origninally drafted as an outfielder. (Kipnis would be later converted to a second baseman.) Notable players drafted in the second round of the 2009 draft are Billy Hamilton (Reds), Nolan Arenado (Rockies), and Patrick Corbin (Diamondbacks). However, Kipnis has been the most successful of all eleven Major League players drafted in that round (based on WAR). Kipnis shot through the minors, posting a .863 OPS in his time there. Since making his Major League debut in 2011, Kipnis has posted a triple-slash line of .270/.348/.423 with 38 home runs and 179 RBI in two years, sixty-nine days of MLB Service Time. That includes a 2013 All Star campaign, when he hit a slash-line of .284/.366/.452 with 17 home runs and 84 RBI. He posted a 5.9 WAR and a 133 OPS+ during last season. From a true extension standpoint, Kipnis' makes sense. His deal is comparable to the six-year contracts signed by Andrew McCutchen's (2012, $51.5 million), Justin Upton's (2010, $51.250 million) and Jay Bruce's (2010, $51 million) extensions. Their extensions came around the same time in their careers as Kipnis' new deal. The Indians are currently based around the young talent on their team, and Kipnis has been a large part in their success. By signing Kipnis to a long-term deal, they are able to focus on other parts of their young, developing team. After making the playoffs for the first time since 2007 in 2013, the Indians will want to continue to have success into the future. And their future is largely tied to their young star in Jason Kipnis.
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The Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Chris Archer have agreed upon a six-year, $25.5 million contract extension today. The deal can reach up to eight-years and $43.75 million, with two option seasons. By retaining young players, especially young pitching, the Rays are able to contend for years to come. That is exactly how the Archer deal went down. With only 156 days of service time, Archer is looking for his first full season (about 25 or more starts) with the Rays. In 2013, the now 25 year old Archer finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. Last season, Archer went 9-7 with a 3.22 ERA and posted a 101 to 38 strikeout to walk ratio (2.66 K/BB) in 23 starts with the Rays (118 ERA+). "For any kid who's been told in life you can't do something in life, you can. I'm living proof of that," Archer said during the news conference to announce the deal. Archer went to the Rays in the trade that sent Matt Garza to the Chicago Cubs in December of 2011. He has now become a viable part of the team's future plans for not only the rotation, but for the team overall. This deal will keep Archer under contract through 2019, and under team control through 2021. Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will miss two to three weeks with a back injury before being reevaluated, the team announced yesterday. Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list this weekend due to back inflammation. He missed his Opening Day start against the Padres. Kershaw's chances of pitching in April are in jeopardy. In March, Kershaw pitched 6 1/3 innings of one run baseball against the Diamondbacks in Australia. The two-time Cy Young award winner and three-time All Star will be missed greatly in a Dodgers' rotation that is seemingly losing starters by the day. They will be getting Zack Grienke back, but will now be without Kershaw for some time. ESPN's Buster Olney reported that Kershaw's injury is similar to the one Padres' pitcher Andrew Cashner had in 2012, who missed two months. Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes left during the first inning of his Opening Day start against the the Tampa Bay Rays with a left hamstring issue on Monday. Following an MRI today, Reyes' injury is considered to be mild inflammation, the Blue Jays announced. The rein jury of Reyes' hamstring is not out of the blue. Last Monday, an MRI revealed that he had a hamstring strain. However, Reyes decided that he felt good and gave it a go on Opening Day. However, Reyes compared his injury to the one he had in 2011, when he missed 29 games (via Gregory Chisholm of MLB.com). "It is a relief, that's good news," Reyes told Chisholm. "Just showed some inflammation, no damage at all. Just need some rest, should be fine, back to play." |
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