Adrian Beltre’s contract can be voided prior to the 2016 season if he doesn’t reach 586 plate appearances this season. However, Rangers GM Jon Daniels says that he’s considering taking that clause out of the equation and bringing him back regardless, as T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com writes.
Beltre’s deal isn’t exactly a traditional vesting option – the contract states that the 2016 season becomes voidable for Texas if he does not reach 1,200 plate appearances between 2014 and 2015 or hit 600 plate appearances in ’15. After notching 614 PAs last season, Beltre would need 586 to satisfy the clause. Daniels isn’t certain that he’ll lock in that extra season for Beltre, but it called it a “possibility” in a chat with reporters on Sunday morning.
“I just don’t want the clause to be a story,” Daniels said, according to Jeff Wilson of the Star Telegram. “We will handle it accordingly. I don’t want that to be even a thought.”
This season, Beltre will earn $18MM in the final year of his five-year, $80MM pact signed in January of 2011. The third baseman would bank $16MM in 2016 if retained.
Beltre, 36 in April, earned his fourth career All-Star selection in 2014. The veteran slashed .324./388/.492 on the year with 19 homers. Across his four seasons in Arlington, Beltre has hit .315/.364/.530 with an average of ~29 homers per campaign.
