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Jesse Rogers
Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in Cleveland through 2032, a source confirmed to ESPN on Saturday.
Ramirez, 33, was already signed through 2028, but the sides were able to rework his deal and add four more years to the contract. Pending a physical, Cleveland will pay him $175 million over the next seven seasons, with $10 million deferred every year.
The deal also includes a no-trade clause and bonuses for winning or finishing in the top five in MVP voting.
Ramirez has been the face of the franchise and Cleveland’s best player for the past decade after debuting in 2013. He is a seven-time All-Star with six top-five finishes for MVP. He boasts a career .857 OPS with 285 home runs and 287 stolen bases and is considered a plus defender at third.
He has helped the Guardians make the postseason seven times since 2016, including the past two years, when he finished fifth and third in MVP voting. Ramirez hasn’t been as dominant in the playoffs, compiling a .692 OPS in 45 games, but he has easily been the one hitter in the lineup whom opponents have game-planned for over the years.
Ramirez signed a seven-year extension before the 2022 season for $141 million. That deal had three years left on it before the sides decided to extend and rework it. He could have made more money on the open market over the years but has repeatedly expressed his satisfaction with Cleveland and desire to stay.
The new contract pays Ramirez $500,000 if he wins MVP, $300,000 for a second- or third-place finish, and $150,000 if he finishes in fourth or fifth. He also gets bonuses for making the All-Star team, winning a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger award, and for taking home the MVP of the LCS or World Series.
The $10 million deferred each year will be payable in 10 $1 million payments each year beginning in 2036 through 2045.
The extension was first reported by De Bánica.