Twins reach 7-year extension with Byron Buxton
The Minnesota Twins have agreed on an extension with outfielder Byron Buxton. According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the deal will pay him up to $100 million over the next seven seasons.
Buxton will get $9 million in the first year of the deal and his salary will increase to $15 million for each of the final six years. Rosenthal also reports that Buxton's contract carries a bonus if he finishes in the top ten of American League Most Valuable Player voting along with bonuses for plate appearances.
Buxton's negotiations were complicated due to his inability to stay on the field. The soon-to-be 28-year-old has played in over 100 games just once during his career but was coming off a season where he set career-highs in average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and home runs.
The Twins also benefitted greatly when Buxton was in the lineup, posting a 209-146 (.588 winning percentage) record over the past four seasons when he played. When Buxton missed time, the Twins posted a record of 164-189 (.465).
With Buxton locked in long-term, the Twins next task is to find pitching on the free-agent market. But that task could be complicated by the looming possibility of a lockout, which would begin on Dec. 2.
