Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays agree to $50 million, 5-year contract
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this March 11 photo, Tampa Bay Rays’ Blake Snell pitches to the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning of a spring training baseball game in Clearwater, Fla. The Rays bolstered a pitching rotation led by Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. >> AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and the Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to a $50 million, five-year contract that covers three seasons of arbitration eligibility plus one year after he could have become a free agent.
The team announced the deal roday, less than two weeks after renewing the left-hander’s contract at a salary of $573,700 for the upcoming season. That would have been a raise of just $15,500 from 2018, when he led the league with 21 wins.
His new deal includes a $3 million signing bonus and a raise to $1 million for this season. He gets $7 million in 2020, $10.5 million in 2021, $12.5 million in 2022 and $16 million in 2023.
The 26-year-old went 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA last year, setting franchise records for wins and ERA.
