Third baseman Adrian Beltre has been with the Texas Rangers since they signed him before the 2011 season. If the franchise has its way, he will stay with them until he retires.
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Rangers Interested in Extending Beltre's Contract
Thursday, Dec. 10
Beltre can become a free agent after the 2016 season, but Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted general manager Jon Daniels said Texas would like Beltre to finish his career with the team.
TR Sullivan of MLB.com confirmed the Rangers are interested in extending the third baseman’s contract past 2016 and pointed out his surgically repaired thumb is “doing well.”
According to Spotrac, Beltre is set to make $18 million in 2016 before he can become a free agent. That is second among all third baseman in the league for the upcoming season, behind only David Wright.
Beltre will be 37 for most of the 2016 season and 38 by the 2017 campaign, so it would make sense if an extension was for less money with his prime in the rearview mirror. Still, he was productive last season with 18 home runs and 83 RBI to go along with a .287 batting average and .787 OPS.
There is nothing wrong with those numbers in the middle of the order, even if they were a far cry from the 48 home runs and 121 RBI he tallied with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004 or the three straight seasons he finished with at least 30 home runs for the Rangers from 2011-13.
In all, he is a four-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner, but his glove also stands out, even in the latter stages of his career. He is a four-time Gold Glove winner, and he posted 18 total defensive runs saved above average at third base last year, according to FanGraphs. It was his highest mark since he joined the Rangers in 2011, which is evidence he is not slowing down in the field.
The Rangers have reached the playoffs three times in Beltre’s five years, including the 2011 World Series. He has become a fixture in the middle of their order and at the hot corner, and it is no surprise the franchise would like to keep him around until he is ready to call it quits.
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