Cronenworth, Padres agree to 7-year deal (sources)
SAN DIEGO — Evidently, it is at all times extension season in San Diego.
On Saturday, Jake Cronenworth is anticipated to turn out to be the newest participant to tie his long-term future to the Padres.
The 29-year-old infielder has agreed to a seven-year contract extension that can preserve him in San Diego by means of the 2030 season, sources informed MLB.com on Friday evening. The Padres haven’t confirmed the deal and phrases weren’t instantly identified, however sources famous that the transfer is anticipated to be finalized as quickly as Saturday.
A two-time All-Star, Cronenworth had two seasons remaining on his contract earlier than he was eligible to hit free company. The extension basically buys out his two remaining arbitration years and his first 5 free-agent-eligible seasons.
In December 2019, Cronenworth arrived in San Diego as a fringe prospect extensively considered as a throw-in in a commerce with the Rays that additionally netted Tommy Pham and despatched Hunter Renfroe and first base prospect Xavier Edwards to Tampa Bay.
Quickly, it grew to become “the Jake Cronenworth trade.” He made the massive league membership in 2020, then completed second in National League Rookie of the Year voting. In every of the 2 successive seasons, he reached the All-Star crew, and he authored a lot of memorable moments within the 2022 postseason — none extra so than his go-ahead hit that helped eradicate the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NL Division Series final October.
In his three seasons with the Padres, Cronenworth has posted a .256/.338/.430 slash line with superlative protection throughout your complete infield, although primarily at second and first base. His long-term positional match with the membership stays considerably unclear.
Cronenworth is at the moment enjoying first base, with Ha-Seong Kim having moved to second upon Bogaerts’ arrival. Cronenworth is able to enjoying all 4 infield spots — and enjoying them properly. But he was a Gold Glove finalist at second base final season.
To be clear, Cronenworth’s adaptability and flexibility is exactly what made him so engaging to the Padres within the first place — and absolutely a part of the explanation they determined to lock him up long-term.
Next up on the extension tour? Josh Hader and Blake Snell are set to turn out to be free brokers after the season. There’s no indication of traction towards an extension with both of these two (although there was additionally no indication of a Cronenworth deal coming to fruition till late Friday evening.)
A possible Juan Soto extension looms largest, although basic supervisor A.J. Preller famous on Thursday that Soto has expressed a desire to concentrate on the season.
“With Juan,” Preller stated, “it’s been more about the baseball side of things, honestly,”
With the season underway, it’s totally potential the Cronenworth deal signifies the tip of the Padres’ extension spree. Perhaps, now, the main target shifts towards the daily of a season with unprecedented expectations in San Diego.
Then once more, these are the Padres of Preller and proprietor Peter Seidler.
