The Tigers announced that infielder Jonathan Schoop has signed to a two-year contract extension. Schoop has been scheduled to hit free agency this winter, but will now remain in the Motor City through the 2023 season. The 29-year-old will earn $7.5MM in each of those two additional seasons for a total of $15MM in guaranteed money, and Schoop can also opt out of the deal following the 2022 campaign. Schoop is represented by The Boras Corporation.
Schoop is in the midst of his second season in Detroit, having signed one-year free agent deals (for $6.1MM in 2020 and $4.5MM this year) in each of the last two offseasons. Considering the Tigers have been rebuilding, Schoop seemed like a logical candidate to be dealt at either of the last two trade deadlines, but the team has instead pivoted and decided to retain Schoop as a building block.
In a statement released by the club, Tigers GM Al Avila described Schoop as “a constant professional since joining our clubhouse, and is the exact type of player we want to wear the Olde English ’D’. His production on the field matches the value of his leadership with all of our players, and we’re looking forward to that contribution continuing for the next few seasons. This is a big step towards bringing winning baseball back for our fans, and we know Jonathan will be a big part of that.”
The opt-out clause gives Schoop some flexibility, and he’ll only be turning 31 years old in October 2022. If he keeps up his current numbers through next year, it seems quite possible that he’ll exercise that opt-out clause in search of a longer-term deal with the Tigers or another team.
Schoop has hit .286/.331/.470 with 26 home runs over 633 plate appearances and 151 games with the Tigers — solidly above-average (116 wRC+, 123 OPS+) production over essentially the equivalent of a full season. After playing only second base in 2020, Schoop has seen more action as the regular first baseman this year, so Detroit has some flexibility in how it wishes to deploy Schoop in 2022 and beyond.
While there isn’t huge money involved, there is certainly a symbolic element to Schoop’s deal, as it marks the first extension for the Tigers since J.D. Martinez was inked to a two-year deal (buying out his remaining arbitration years) way back in February 2016. As Avila’s statement indicates, the Tigers believe they are close to ending their rebuild, and even this season’s results bear some promise. After a brutal 9-24 start to the 2021 campaign, Detroit has a very solid 44-35 record since, giving the club a shot at its first winning season since 2016.
This success seemed to change the equation for the Tigers, who had a pretty quiet trade deadline and seemed more inclined to see how far they could get with the current roster, in order to give their young core a taste of winning. Since team president/CEO Christopher Ilitch recently suggested the team might raise payroll and look to add “high-impact players,” the 2021-22 offseason looks to be Detroit’s most exciting winter in quite some time, since the team conceivably has the payroll space to make multiple significant additions. Schoop, Robbie Grossman, and Miguel Cabrera are the only players signed through the 2022 season, representing $44.5MM in salary.
Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link) was the first to report on the contract’s $15MM value, and the opt-out clause after the 2022 season. Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. had the breakdown of Schoop’s annual salaries in each of the two seasons.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Intrigue!
When Boras does an extension, we must look closer!
Boras brings any contract offered to the player. Boras will have a recommendation for the player, but ultimately it’s up to the player.
That’s true but usually he recommends they explore free agency. In this case I believe Schoop made it clear he wanted to stay if a decent offer was there, takes a lot of pressure off everyone.
Ya, Schoop seems to be really happy in Detroit. Hometown discount and great deal for the tigers.
I think this is a good signing for the Tigers. In a sense it shows Tigers fans that the front office is ready to contend next year and put the rebuilding stage behind them. He has provided a good bad for them and for a guy who has reached free agency the last 2 years this has to feel good for him. Good idea for them not to trade Schoop.
The younger Ilich said a couple of years ago that he would spend to win.
well there’s why he wasnt dealt
…..and who that understands baseball couldn’t see this coming, even though MLBTR and others pushed him being traded for a month up to the deadline?
This is not rotisserie baseball where one size fits all. Organizations have different ways of building teams. A baseball guy like Al Avila is trying to build a cohesive unit of young players, and needs some veterans to help them to adapt to MLB and its ups and downs.
As I noted, Shoop will be to the Tigers what Nick Markakis was to the Braves as they came out of their rebuild. And MLBTR writers and posters forever knocked Markakis – using statistics (the funny one was when they all quoted his poor defensive stats, meanwhile the guy was recognized as one of the best RF’s by ML players, and when he played out his option with the Orioles CF Adam Jones said they’d miss his bat and leadership, but most importantly his defense…..and Jones knew, because Markakis covered for him in right-center……when Markakis played out his option Jones suddenly went from a Gold Glove winner to a poor CF that had to be moved to a corner….LOL…..all public statistics misrepresent a players value to a team winning, but none more than the defensive ones – teams keep internal stats).
Anyway, the Braves sure could have used a steady pro like Markakis in the clubhouse this year. But I look forward to the Tigers being made fun of here over the next few years for giving this contract to Mr. Schoop.
so much all of this ^^^^^^^^^^^^
I couldn’t make it through the whole thing myself.
I’m sure it’s just more of the theme of “you’re all dumb the Central divisions are ascending to power.” I miss when he’d post super long takes about cryptocurrency. That was fun.
But.
The Yanks got a taste of Detroit after they settled in. This is becoming a solid ballclub.
& I watched Schoop plenty when he played for the last decent Oriole squads.
Good player. On both sides of the ball.
I’ve taken a couple bird hunting trips to the U.P. Fantastic fans & even better people. I’d love to see the Tigers be relevant again.
“Boras” and “extension” don’t belong in the same story.
except when they do…
Boras loves the player opt-outs.
As he should. And so should the player.
Boras loves getting his clients market value, and providing them a chance to increase their earning potential as a player if they continue to excel
anyone who thinks he’s doing any type of disservice to his clients truly doesn’t understand baseball
Most of his clients. There are some that over play their hand.
Two words: Stephen Strasburg.
So basquiat, please explain how Somehow an extension signed 48 hours before free agency begins and a title was just won means anything for a completely different extension to a completely player on a completely different team at a completely different position?
That’s how dumb your logic is buddy
Over-sensationalized generalizations about a professional shouldn’t be in the same sentence, yet they’re here constantly on MLBTR about Boras. And usually wrong
@etex211
Well it’s a little known fact, but Boras has hair extensions!
This is great news for Tigers fans! We need to keep the nucleus of this team together, as since their 9-24 dreadful start, they’ve played ball at 11 games over .500 clip. With the strong FA class coming up, not to mention Torkelson, Greene and Dingler knocking on the door, this club is not far from contention. I had a feeling when they didn’t trade him at the deadline that they were gonna lock him up. Im so glad they did!
Haase /Dingler duo is exciting
Don’t overlook Rogers. He’s a gold glove waiting to happen, and his bat has been improving all year.
This is nice to see. It seems like a fair deal for both sides as well as a good idea for both sides.
Good for him, much deserved!
The Tiger have now upgraded to the Extended Schooper!
It’s nice to play where you’re appreciated and Detroit and Schoop is a good fit. They’re getting closer to contending and he’s a nice bridge to that time.
Ahh, yes. The famous Boras out out!
Good deal for Schoop. Got a minimum of $15M guaranteed and the ability to get more with a strong showing in 2022, and good deal for the Tigers to lock him in for next year.
Best thing possible. Now let’s get a shortstop in free agency. Just cannot believe a Boras client signed in August.
Boras clients hardly ever sign extensions during the season, so that tells us one thing. Schoop was/is happy in Detroit and wanted to stay here.
I’m happy for Tigers fans, they’ve been playing good baseball since May and have a ton of great players coming up through the minors
There’s a real risk of a labor stoppage next year. so even Boras can smell the coffee. Schoop wouldn’t be a marquee FA (not because he isn’t a good player, but because the market will be flooded around the IF); in other words, exactly the kind of player that would suffer the most from a lockout/strike.
But good move for the Tigers. At some point in the “rebuild”, you have to start hanging onto talent.
Yep, and you also have to have leadership if you are going to go with a lot of younger players. By the accounts I’ve seen, Schoop is just that.
Smart
This was (for the first time in a while) a good deal for the Tigers. Schoop is a solid, if somewhat unspectacular, player. MLBTR is correct. He would be a definite 2nd tier FA this winter and would probably have waited around until Jan-Feb to snag another 1 yr. deal. The Tigers got him for another year for a very favorable price. The opt out gives Schoop extra incentive to play up in ’22. If he scruffs, he’s versatile enough for the Tigers to keep him in ’23 for the second $7.5 mil. and if he continues to play at his current level he becomes an even better trade candidate next July. It gives the Tigers another 1-2 years to get a couple middle infield prospects to mature.
Having Schoop on board at 2nd also makes signing a FA SS this off season a little easier. A lot of SS’s might like seeing Schoop playing off to their left.
I’m ready for a good old Sox vs Tigers race. I actually respect the Tigers, unlike the 3 other incompetent division rivals, and hope to challenge them often. They are (like the Sox) a tough team that likes real competition. Go Sox, and I’m pumped for some rivalry
I used to think the Tribe was the thorn in our heel, but as a Tiger fan, I have now come to loathe the ChiSox the most within the division. Who can hate on the Royals…or a team nicknamed “The Twinkies”?
Whenever I had to follow my Tigers as an out of market viewer I had endure Hawk Harrelson commentary on top of it.
Yes, my disdain for the South Siders is, grudgingly, my admission that they are our biggest rivals and I will look forward to our future battles.
Schoop is at 917 hits, so he’ll almost certainly reach 1,000 in 2022.
He also has 159 home runs, should have a solid chance of hitting No. 200 in a Tiger uniform if he doesn’t exercise his opt-out.
Always liked Schoop and his canon arm, good for him
Good for him, but I don’t understand this much by the tigers. This is a good deal, but they need to flip him ASAP. The fact they didn’t already trade him is insane. So go trade him this offseason ASAP. If you can..
Why? Is there a rule that says only the Dodgers, Yankees and a select few teams are allowed to have all the players? Maybe they like him and want to keep improving.
If even half of their young starters work out they will be pretty good
They are still a pretty bad team and he isn’t typically as good as he is this year. Plus, he’s sorta aging. I’d flip him while he still has value for a team that is still in the very early stages of a rebuild.
bravesfan3 hours ago
They are still a pretty bad team
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Over the past three months, the Tigers are 45-35.
Over the past three months, the Braves are 41-39.
If the Tigers are pretty bad, and they’ve been playing 4 games better than Atlanta, over the past roughly half-season, then how awful are the Braves?
Early stages? About the third year into it and all the young pitchers are entering the rotation. They aren’t all playing great but not much more to prove in the minors. Team is playing around average, not sure how you think they are very bad.
Why would they flip him? Tigers have two of the top 10 prospects in baseball coming up next year and 3 rookie of the year contending players on their active roster this year. Time to start trying to win.
Cause the tigers are still a very bad team and he isn’t typically this good. Flip him while you can. Tigers are still in the very early stages of a rebuild, but turning the corner. You can trade him for a decent near mlb ready prospect or two. That has real value in a rebuild.
bravesfan3 hours ago
Cause the tigers are still a very bad team
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Please, take 5 minutes to check the records. I’m not a Tigers fan, but they’ve been playing better-than-competitive baseball for 3 months now.
Carlos Correa will make a good double play combo with him next year.
Correa would be a perfect fit. Back those talented young arms with stability up the middle.
It’s comical. A couple of months ago, a CBS Sports article was chastising the Tigers’ rebuild for lack of results, even though it was clear they were headed in the right direction.
Let’s put it this way. The Tigers rebuild is doing much better than the Orioles!
Better than the Mariners too.
Didn’t the Mariners have an outside shot a playoff spot a week or two ago? They’re hardly a joke anymore
They haven’t been doing well since Graveman was traded. They just lost 3 of 4 to the Yankees. They didn’t do much before the trade deadline, and it’s not at all clear that ownership will sign free agents if needed—they prefer to do trades. I don’t think the owners care if they ever get to the playoffs, as long as they make money. In contrast, the Tigers are going to pursue free agents as needed in the off-season, and are talking about contending.
A couple of months ago, a CBS Sports article was chastising the Tigers’ rebuild for lack of results
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I remember that article. Very few writers have a good understanding of baseball. Red Sox writers have been writing about the collapse of the RS pitching. And the pitching has been weak, but the writers absolutely did not notice that we have scored at all over almost two weeks.
29 runs in 12 games, and the writers didn’t even realize it.
Its not that comical. At the start of the season, while they were playing unwatchable ball, I questioned where the rebuild was going. Nunez was not the answer at 1B. Willie Castro didnt look like the answer at SS, nor did Niko. Candelario was showing no power (even now I don’t believe he would be among the top 15 at his position). Schoop wasn’t hitting his weight. JaCoby was striking out regularly. Mazzara was going up at bats. Wilson Ramos and Grienke were not the answer behind the dish. The bullpen was a disaster. Who would have thought they would make all the changes they did since then?!!
Smart move by the Tigers and pretty surprised that a Boras client would do this considering his bWAR is already at 2.6. Should give you some idea of what the upcoming free agent market will look like from a $$$ standpoint…meaning depressed
We don’t know how this unfolded. Boras does extensions if either the money is right, or his client comes to him and says work out the best deal because here is where I want to stay. This could be a strategy on his part, advising clients in Schoop’s class that with uncertainty around the CBA, locking in guaranteed dollars while building in an optout after year one is the wisest approach. Get clear of the CBA and then hit the market again after 2022. He wouldn’t likely advise this approach for his superstar clients, but it could be a good one for the mid-to lower-mid-market types who have been crushed in recent years, even without the mystery surrounding league spending and a new CBA.
Boras remains the best at this, locking in money for his client, but building in flexibility with an optout to get more. It’s a good deal on both sides and, of course, three sides since Boras Corp, gets its cut.
Yep. A big part of Boras’ effectiveness is he understands baseball. Schoop is in a spot right now where he can thrive. More money later on, with the safety net being $15 million if something unforeseen happens. It’s also good for the Tigers since they can start assessing other needs for 2022.
Smart move by Schoop. Uncertain CBA and free agency hasn’t been kind as there always seems to be more middle Infielders than jobs available.
Mark – editing note, at the end of the first paragraph you spelled ‘Bore Ass Corporation’ wrong. You’re welcome!
Congratulations, Mr. Schoop!
I’m very happy to see a team like the Tigers extend a player before the end of the season. Good for them and for Schoop. I would like to see other teams immediately do the same. The Twins, for example, could extend Big Mike Pineda.
Tigers have others worth signing, as well. Mize, Skubal, Soto, and Badoo could be worthy of consideration. Depending on whether they intend to move Torkelson to 1B, or not, signing Candelario could be an option, if affordable. If Boyd comes back healthy, he could be an affordable extension also.
This makes me want to Schoop.
Money well spent.
Can’t wait to see him turn double plays next year with Carlos Correa. Correa is the perfect fit in Detroit. He’s still quite young so he’ll still be in his prime once the other Detroit youngsters have established themselves as solid to plus major league players and the AJ Hinch / Correa connection speaks for itself. It sure looks like Houston won’t re-sign Correa so this would be the best fit for him and Detroit seems willing to pay the high cost it will take to secure his services. I just hope they don’t agree to a 9-10 year deal. Sign him to a big 5-6 year deal with opt outs and a club option too. With all the other premium FA shortstops available, including Semien after his monster season in Toronto, it’s going to be a buyer’s market @ SS. Teams won’t have to offer 8-10 year deals because they can just pivot to the next star and sign him for less term instead. If there is no lockout, I wonder which SS gets the longest deal out of the bunch? After seeing what happened with Lindor, teams are going to be very hesitant to offer 10 year deals to any of these shortstops. I’m guessing 6 or 7 years will be the longest deal agreed to with one of these guys. Hopefully, it’s Correa in Detroit.
Why is everyone claiming he’ll be turning double plays all day next year? The guy has made a whopping 24 appearances at 2b this year. He’s been moved to 1b now.
Think people expect Tork to wind up at first and Schoop to shift back to 2nd.
I keep reading that nobody else wants him for something that happened in Milwaukee. I’m not sure what happened, however or even if it’s true.
I keep reading that nobody else wants him for something that happened in Milwaukee. I’m not sure what happened, however or even if it’s true.
He didn’t fit with the Brewers clubhouse culture, and didn’t hit well (or at all in the playoffs.) I guess MLB players are supposed to be able to fit in anywhere, and if they don’t do well in one place, maybe they won’t do well in another place. That seems to be the thinking, anyway.
He sure seems to have fit in with the Tigers.
This is such a great move by Detroit and Schoop. Maybe he gets more in free agency and maybe he doesn’t but being happy and having at least a couple of years of knowing where you’ll be is nice. Adding Greene and Torkelson is gonna help that lineup but they’re gonna need to buy some arms in order to compete within the next couple of years. I like Mize but….
Bruh…Tigers have got some elite pitching in the making. Mize, Skubal, Manning are going to be a scary front 3 for them. I really like Joey Wentz too,, so add him as a 4th guy in the rotation. They have Torkelson, Dingler, Cameron and Greene who all look the part of starting caliber MLB players, and they have some guys a few more years away like Workman. Tigers look like they are gonna be a good team sooner rather than later.
Name the man captain
I’d hoped the W. Sox would target him in trades, but this is a good deal for a Tigers club that’s getting much closer to relevance.
Same. I liked the Hernandez deal, but Schoop would have been awesome, just by virtue of him not crushing the Sox pitching year after year.
Really nice move Tigers. I’m surprised Schoop didn’t go for something longer. Last time to sign something in prime earning years.
It’s a smart move by Boras….a $15M guarantee is a nice protection to have against injury/underperformance, and no one knows what the next CBA will look like. If Schoop is good and healthy in 2022, he’ll opt out or use the opt out for a more lucrative extension.
Good move by the Tigers. Now that they are past the tipping point, it is time to secure, extend and buy.
He is a solid vet for the Tigers to build around with their influx of young talent. Good, smart move here.
Manfred should trim the MLB back to eight teams in each league.
Apparently, only that many teams can be competitive at the same time.
Count them.
Why is that?
Billions of people on plant earth and only enough guys for 16 total competitive teams in the MLB.
Why is that?
A “big step toward bringing winning baseball back?” Is he serious?