1B Eric Hosmer and Padres finalize $144 million, 8-year deal
SAN DIEGO (AP) Eric Hosmer and the San Diego Padres finalized their $144 million, eight-year contract Monday night.
The team announced the signing after Hosmer passed his physical. The first baseman, who spent his first seven major league seasons with Kansas City before becoming a free agent this winter, can opt out of the deal after five years.
The contract is the largest in Padres history.
Hosmer gets a $5 million signing bonus payable within 30 days of the contract being approved by the commissioner's office. His salary is $20 million each year from 2018-22 and would be $13 million annually from 2023-25 if he doesn't terminate the deal.
A four-time Gold Glove winner and 2016 All-Star, Hosmer will be introduced during a news conference Tuesday morning at Padres camp in Peoria, Arizona.
In a statement, Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler and General Partner Peter Seidler called the move ''a significant moment in Padres history.''
''The intangibles and experience that he brings to the table will be vital as we continue the development of our young club and strive to bring a championship to deserving Padres fans everywhere,'' they said.
San Diego general manager A.J. Preller said Hosmer ''has been a winner throughout his career'' and his resume ''speaks for itself.''
''We believe his leadership and passion for the game will be invaluable,'' Preller said.
Selected third overall by the Royals in the 2008 amateur draft, Hosmer helped Kansas City win the 2014 AL pennant and 2015 World Series. He is a .284 career hitter with a .342 on-base percentage and 127 home runs. He's also played in 31 career postseason games, batting .276 with three homers and 29 RBIs.
The 28-year-old Hosmer hit a career-high .318 for the Royals in 2017, playing in all 162 games, and matched his best from the previous season with 25 home runs. He drove in 94 runs and scored 98. He also had a career-best .385 on-base percentage.
Hosmer, who will wear No. 30 with the Padres, was the MVP of the 2016 All-Star Game at Petco Park in San Diego. He also helped Team USA win the World Baseball Classic last year, batting .385 (10 for 26) during the tournament.
San Diego went 71-91 last season and finished fourth in the NL West, above only San Francisco. The rebuilding Padres, with one of the top-rated farm systems in baseball, haven't been to the playoffs since 2006.
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