The Twins on Tuesday announced that they have signed second baseman Brian Dozier to a four-year, $20 million contract extension. which locks him up through the 2018 season.
Dozier, 27, will make $2 million this season, $3 million in 2016, $8 million in 2017 and $9 million in 2018. Dozier would have been eligible for salary arbitration following this season, so the deal buys out all three years of arbitration.
The sides talked about a deal last year during spring training but could not reach common ground. They vowed to meet again this spring and were able to strike a deal,
It keeps one of the most productive second baseman in baseball in a Twins uniform for the next several years. Dozier last year was the first player in Twins history - and only player in the league last year - with over 100 runs scored, 30 doubles, 20 home runs, 80 walks and 20 stolen bases. The average annual value of $5 million could be viewed as a Twins-friendly deal, as that ranks Dozier well outside the top ten among second baseman in teams of AAV.
Dozier batted .242 last season with 23 home runs, 71 RBI and 21 stolen bases. Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko, who has 100 fewer days of service time than Dozier, signed a five-year $35 million contract last year. And Gyorko batted .210 with 10 home runs and 51 RBI last season. But Dozier will be a free agent a year earlier than Gyorko, and he will be 30 in 2018.
