Miami Marlins Roster Rumors: Dee Gordon Given Five-Year, $50 Million Extension
Dee Gordon of the Miami Marlins agreed to a new contract with the team worth $50 million for five years, with the All-Star second baseman given a sixth-year vesting option that is worth a separate $14 million. With the signing, Gordon's arbitration (three years) and free agency (first two years) have been covered.
The 27-year-old is a valuable asset and a high-quality player for the Marlins, having won the NL batting title last season with a .333 average. He also became the league leader in stolen bases for the second year in a row, with 58 of them last season. In his first season in Miami, he also led the league with 205 hits, along with 88 runs.
After a couple of years in the minor leagues, he was given an opportunity to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he was mainly used as a shortstop from 2011 to 2014. He then was traded to the Marlins with Dan Haren and Miguel Rojas for Chris Hatcher, Andrew Heaney, and Enrique Hernandez.
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He held a 96 OPS+ in five major league seasons. His value significantly increased after the trade to Miami though, specifically in the past two seasons, highlighted by 122 stolen bases the past season.
He became eligible for salary arbitration this offseason for the first time in his career and will be hitting the free agent market at the end of the 2018 season, paving way for potential lucrative deals.
So this new deal with him gives the Marlins some sort of security in their investment instead of dealing with the three years of arbitration. The team likewise can buy out the two years of his free agency.
With a team he can call home, the right salary, and the Marlins getting an All-Star caliber player, it definitely looks like everyone won in this deal.
