The Rockies have announced an extension with outfielder Charlie Blackmon. In addition to re-working his already agreed-upon 2018 salary, the new deal covers five additional seasons, giving the Rockies control over three would-be free agent campaigns and providing the ACES client with a pair of player options for two further years.
Blackmon will be guaranteed $94MM in new money, $63MM of which comes over the three seasons that are locked in before the player options, according to Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports (Twitter link). He will also receive the same amount ($14MM) he was already promised for 2018, though $2MM of that figure will now come by way of signing bonus. He’ll then earn $21MM annually from 2019 through 2021.
In the final two potential seasons, Blackmon will consider a $21MM player option for 2022 and, if he’s still playing under the contract, a $10MM option for 2023. That final option number could escalate by up to $8MM. As Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets, it will move north by $5MM so long as Blackmon takes 400 plate appearances. He can boost the figure by $2MM with a first, second, or third-place finish in the MVP voting or by $1MM if he lands fourth or fifth. The contract also includes limited no-trade protection.
Blackmon, who’ll turn 32 in July, has ramped up his productivity over the past two seasons to become one of the game’s best all-around outfielders. He has won consecutive Silver Sluggers and placed fifth in the National League MVP voting in 2017.
More importantly, the numbers suggest that Blackmon is primed to continue his success. Blackmon has racked up 400 hits over the past two seasons, carrying an eye-popping .327/.390/.578 cumulative slash line that impresses even after accounting for the fact that he plays half of his games at Coors Field. He no longer swipes many bags, but made up for that lag in the counting-stat department by hitting a career-high 37 long balls last season. Notably, he also boosted his walk rate to a career-high 9.0% in 2017. While that’s hardly a premium figure, it’s promising that it is moving northward at this stage. And Blackmon has also fared rather well historically against left-handed pitching.
Though he grades mostly as an average performer in center, and may ultimately move out to a corner spot before this deal is up, Blackmon is a solid defender and good baserunner as well. He has also stayed on the field consistently since emerging as a full-time player in 2014.
The move will keep one of the Rockies’ biggest stars on hand through at least his age-34 season while committing the team financially through his age-36 effort. Whether the Colorado organization can similarly lock up its other top player, third baseman Nolan Arenado (a free agent after 2019), remains to be seen.
This contract also removes a significant player from the much-anticipated 2018-19 free agent class. While Blackmon never was going to carry quite the earning power of some of the other intriguing names who’ll soon reach the open market, he had certainly profiled as one of several players that could have pushed for nine-figure contracts.
As it turns out, Blackmon’s new contract topped nine figures only nominally. Of course, he’s locking that figure in now rather than rolling the dice on how things turn out in the season to come — not to mention how the next free agent period will go after a long, strange 2017-18 offseason. And he’ll get to stay with the only organization he has played for. There’s also value in controlling the outcome of the final two seasons of the deal, though perhaps not all that much given how long in the tooth Blackmon will be when it comes time to make a call on those years.
Blackmon also had to contend with anticipated market unease over his age as well as the fact that he has rather significant home/road splits (131 wRC+ vs. 100 wRC+ for his career). It was fairly unlikely that he’d have received a much lengthier commitment upon entering the market at 32 years of age. The Coors factor is harder to gauge, but could certainly also have been a factor in limiting interest.
All told, there’s certainly a case to be made that Blackmon could have earned a fair bit more had he waited. Way back in the 2012-13 offseason, Josh Hamilton secured a five-year, $125MM pact entering his age-32 season. Then again, the amply accomplished Lorenzo Cain — nowhere near the hitter Blackmon is, but a better performer in other areas — is only months older than Blackmon and secured just $80MM for his own five-year term. Another monster season might, in the right market circumstances, have allowed Blackmon to drive up a bidding war and earned a decent bit more than he will. Odds are, though, that he will not have left an enormous pile of cash on the table when all is said and done.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nice, More Charlie Blackmon publicity
Will need to see the terms, but this is likely a very good move.
Hopefully this encourages Arenado to also stick around.
Rockies what you doing? Did they not just watch this past offseason. I think this is going to end up hurting them down the road. He seems like he has the skill set that will break down in his mid 30’s
Thought this same thing as well. Speed will decline and his profile away from Coors is not one of an elite hitter.
Um isn’t that why he’s staying at Coors…?
Point previous poster was making is that he wouldnt get offered that much by a different team if he hit the open market. It’s a fair point, but the team would probably have to let him test free agency for it to factor into negotiations
Blackmon had his breakout year in 2016…..stats away from Coors
2016- 17/35 ..313/.363/.563/.926
2017- 13/34 .276/.337/.447/.784
For his career he’s at
.265 /.314/.436/.750
While he’s not elite away from Coors he’s far from not serviceable. He’s probably slightly below league average on the road but he’s elite at Coors….where he’ll happen to play half his games. Blackmon actually doesn’t have huge home/road splits. The only drastic difference is in triples and BABIP.
He’s not even below average on the road. The Rockies stats are skewed just as much as their home stats for two big reasons. One, the rest of NL West parks (excluding AZ) are the most pitcher friendly parks in the league. It is only natural that batting stats would be lower than average. Two, the Rockies are the only team in the league that does not include Coors stats in their road numbers. The reason the Dodgers/Giants/Padres/DBacks have better road stats is because 13% of their road stats are Coors numbers. Road stats are not the “great equalizer” that everyone makes them out to be. They vary as much based on your team as home stats do.
Good thing the Rockies play their home games at Coors and not somewhere else then.
Don’t the dollars and years make a difference, though?
Kind of hard to say whether this is a good or bad deal without knowing those particulars.
I seen 106 over 6 years. The last two are player options, so I’d assume they’ll be picked up if he regresses over four years. So that’s 18 million for a 32 year old which scares me
He will almost surely be sliding to an OF corner in the next year or two, but I think he will hit enough to justify this outlay over the next few years at least.
The last couple (the option years) are probably going to be problematic.
They have the pitching to compete, and keeping their second-best hitter around while that is the case makes a lot of sense to me.
you saw
I would consider it good deal since im not paying it.
I didn’t realize Blackmon was 32. Doesn’t this go against what the market was doing this past off season? I thought premium contracts were going to the elite
and younger type players!
Didn’t see this coming. Six years is kinda lengthy, but he’s a quality player at the top of his game.
Great player, the one thing people don’t like is home/road splits. I like him a lot as a player though. Good move by the Rockies, might increase chances of extending Arenado.
6 year deal for a 31 year old? yikes… really enjoy him as a player but I guess the dollar amount will tell the story..
Good for the 30+ year old
Also looks better for Josh Donaldson getting a good deal!
While the metrics would say no, I’m glad for him. Dont blame the player or the agent. I never have a problem with a player getting paid.
Surprised to see people crticizing the deal when the salary #’s havent even been posted yet. If those player options are like $8 mil per year then they only get exercised if his production drops off.
Wow. Even in the context of the new market in MLB this seems like a steal.
Poor Josh Donaldson. He’s going to see this and still think he’s getting $200 million.
lol I was looking at it like, good for Josh Donaldson, he still has a chance at 100 million.
Because living off 70 or 80 million would be so rough…
I like Blackmon, but I feel his splits outside of Coors suggest he’s more of an average player elsewhere, and he may know this too. He’s probably doing himself a favor.
He batted better on the Road then at Coors in 2016 which was his breakout year
Sure, his past home/road splits aren’t favorable, but he’s hit 4 HR in five games this year (all on the road) with a .316 average. Pretty good start, I say. What Coors helps him for his average (more gap hits); power plays in all stadiums.
6-$108 million
I like Blackmon, but in the long run I’m not convinced this was the best deal for the Rockies. Time will tell.
Can’t argue with the Rockies’ logic here in essentially keeping a home grown star in the fold for essentially the remainder of his career. Kudos to the COL front office. Now please promise yourselves you won’t bring CarGo back again next winter.
I had no idea Calcaterra still covered baseball
If Blackmon and/or his agent realized those Coors splits, both parties were right to take this extension, and extend this relationship. If he opts out at the earliest opportunity — 4 years isn’t too bad, if he opts out. Player options provide flexibility for Blackmon to opt out after Y5 or Y6, should he over-perform. Year-6 escalators max out $8M on top of $10M base salary with 575 plate appearances, and top 3-5 MVP finishes, which minimize risk for final year, the age he’d most likely to decline. 6 years from now, $10M could be worth “nothing” (my speculation) so I look at this as more of a 5 year deal.
I don’t think anyone would have been terribly shocked if Lorenzo Cain would have gotten this exact same deal this past offseason, right?
It’s one more year at slightly more per season, on average.
methinks he needs a six year deal with a barber.
Low-hanging fruit and still a swing and a miss!
Good signing for both sides. I believe he got what he deserves and the team will benefit also. Good job Rockies.
The only place this guy is good is Colorado, so makes sense for him to extend and not test a tough market.
Um, Colorado is the only place he has played. So of course it is the “only” place he is good. Unless you actually look at the numbers and see that his career OPS is higher in Philly, Texas, Cincy, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Minnesota than in Colorado. Yes, they are small samples, but it’s all you got. He hits pretty well in 3 of the 4 NL West road parks for the Rox too. Only in SF does hit hit poorly. And I’m sure that is true for MANY batters.
the one reason I think this may come to bite them is that coors is notoriously hard on the body- if this was somewhere else it may not be a horrible deal but age and playing there he seems more likely to have injuries really stack up in a couple of years.
Is there any stats out there that prove your theory about Coors
Solid move by the Rockies.
Charlie Blackmon is about the same age as Jose Abreu, each 31 with Blackmon 6 months older and turning 32 in July. Abreu will be a free agent following the 2019 season and there is much debate among White Sox fans about whether the front office should offer a contract extension to their slugging first baseman while the team continues its rebuild.
Abreu obviously has a different skill set than what Blackmon possesses. The question for White Sox fans: Would you be in favor of the White Sox offering a similar contract extension for their slugging Cuban first baseman and do you believe Abreu would be amenable to such an offer?
One thing is for certain. Abreu doesn’t rely on his legs for much of his game like Blackmon who plays CF and still steals some bases as the Rockies leadoff hitter. Blackmon’s skill set would likely age quicker than a slugger like Abreu who could always shift to the DH role with the White Sox in the AL. What say you?
Hey Jeff, wouldn’t this be a prime reason to edit and update the “Offseason in review: Colorado Rockies article”? I understand it’s not the off-season anymore, but if some clubs “Offseason in review” pieces have yet to be done, then technically, you can add this MAJOR change. But a humble suggestion. I’m biased, because I think after Rockies offseason committing $100M to their bullpen, deserves more than 10 comments!
Now it’s $200M+ counting Bullpen and Blackmon extension (If no opt put) This team deserves more love from fans and mlbtr alike! Good for the Rockies
Hope I don’t get eviscerated for this comment. (It’s one sentence edit on Blackmon) repost on top. (Or dont repost) Either way, ANY organization that commits $200M+ in offseason Fa signings and/or extensions gets much respect.
Your suggestion alone is worthy of thumbs up consideration. Using “eviscerated” in your comment clinched it for me! lol
Hey, I look at it this way: Blackmon is a proven star who deserves the extension and, unfortunately, isn’t making what Jason Heyward is pulling down, and he’s twice the player. Rockies made the right move. Cubs have to live with the wrong move for years to come.
They made it through Soriano, they’ll make it through Heyward.
Yep. With Jason Heyward it was all about timing and the fact that he was a WAR darling, much of it the result of exceptional defense when he made his MLB debut at the young age of 20 with the Braves. He hit free agency following his age 25 season with the Cardinals and reaped the reward of a mega-deal with the Cubs who weren’t the only team offering him such a lucrative contract.
In contrast, Charlie Blackmon was a relatively late bloomer who debuted with the Rockies at 24 but didn’t become a fixture in their lineup until 2014 as a 27-year old. By the time he could have reached free agency following this season he was well into his prime years while Heyward was just approaching his as a FA after 2015.
Heyward still has time on his side at age 28 but he’s hardly lived up to that contract so far. He might be one of those players who needs a change of scenery to revisit his past accomplishments but that could be an even more daunting task with that albatross of a contract. His downfall in Chicago is his lack of offensive production. Perhaps new Cub hitting coach Chili Davis can help resurrect Heyward’s offense in 2018. He obviously struggled under former hitting instructor John Mallee who had some excellent results with most of the other Cub players.
I don’t think manager Joe Maddon has done Heyward any great favors with the constant shuffling of roles for him in the batting order, particularly slotting him in at the #2 spot where he had little prior experience when Heyward began his Cub career back in 2016.
For one Heyward bats weird for a guy his size and secondly, he squeezes the bat and that’s why he has a hitch in his swing which causes weak contact.
Heyward should just watch 90’s Fred McGriff and copy.
Too old.
Close to 100 million for what amounts to a corner outfielder who plays at Coors?
I would think they could throw a million a piece at some of the guys available (or just use the guys they have coming up) and put the money somewhere else.
Coors has the largest outfield in the majors. Calling Blackmon a corner outfielder is ridiculous.
I always enjoy watching Blackmon play. Best wishes for a long and healthy career
Me too. It’s great that the Rox were able to extend Blachmon.
The mullet-beard combination is worthy of a few bucks alone, definitely.
Even him sliding to a corner OF spot is extremely useful for the Rockies.
They basically need three guys out there who are capable of playing CF.
Reasonable deal for the first 4 years and who knows, maybe for the entirety of the contract yet player options (instead of a mutual option) for years 5 and 6? How does that protect the club? Rhetorical question. It doesn’t.
Has this franchise not learned?
The Helton albatross contract and having to endure that until the end? The CarGo contract which finally ended last year? Both gross overpays for the late-contract production received.
I love Charlie Blackmon but history could repeat itself in 5 to 6 years.
Hope not.
Rockies did it again!…is this Mike Hampton all over again?..not smart money, sorry. They need an ace. Gray is NOT that guy. That’s money that should’ve gone towards starting pitching.