Logan Forsythe is reportedly close to inking a two-year deal with the Rays. (Photo Credit: Cliff McBride/Getty Images)
Logan Forsythe is reportedly close to inking a two-year contract extension with the Rays. (Photo Credit: Cliff McBride/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Rays had 10 players file for arbitration this offseason: Alex Cobb, Hank Conger, Logan Forsythe, Brandon Guyer, Desmond Jennings, Jake McGee, Logan Morrison, Erasmo Ramirez, Rene Rivera, and Drew Smyly. One of the above mentioned players (Forsythe) signed a two-year contract extension with the Rays, while another (Smyly) couldn’t come to terms with the team.

According to team policy, the players and their agents have until end of day Friday to negotiate a salary, or the case will head before a judge during Spring Training.

It should be noted, the crack team of intrepid reporters here at X-Rays Spex will update this article with arbitration results as they are reported. Projected salaries come courtesy of Steve Adams and MLB Trade Rumors.

Players avoiding arbitration

Player name (service time in years, days)

Alex Cobb (4 years, 61 days)
Projected Salary: $4.0MM
Actual Salary: $4.0MM

Jake McGee (4 years, 127 days)
Projected Salary: $4.7MM
Actual Salary: $4.8MM

Brandon Guyer (3 years, 66 days)
Projected Salary: $1.3MM
Actual Salary: $1.185MM

Desmond Jennings (4 years, 101 days)
Projected Salary: $3.1MM
Actual Salary: $3.3MM

Logan Morrison (5 years, 69 days)
Projected Salary: $4.1MM
Actual Salary: $4.2MM

Erasmo Ramirez (2 years, 158 days)
Projected Salary: $2.8MM
Actual Salary: $2.375MM

Hank Conger (4 years, 51 days)
Projected Salary: $1.8MM
Actual Salary: $1.5MM

Rene Rivera (4 years, 82 days)
Projected Salary: $1.6MM
Actual Salary: $1.7MM

Drew Smyly (3 years, 154 days)
Projected Salary: $3.9MM
Actual Salary: ???

Logan Forsythe two-year contact extension

According to Marc Topkin (link), the Rays are close to finalizing a two-year contract extension with infielder Logan Forsythe, their 2015 team MVP. The deal includes an option for a third season, extending the team’s control over the infielder by one season.

The extension includes a $1MM salary for the upcoming season, a $5.75MM salary for 2017, and an $8.5M option for 2018 with a $1M buyout.

According to Jon Heyman (MLB Network), Forsythe’s $8.5M option could “escalate” into $11 million if he proves to be an everyday player, as he was in 2015.

Forsythe is in his second season of arbitration eligibility, and the extension will cover his last two arbitration seasons. The option will cover his 2018 free-agent season. Forsythe posted a .281 BA/.359 OBP/.444 SLG/.803 OPS line with 17 home runs in 153 games last season.

In a recent piece for MLB Trade Rumors, Steve Adams made mention of the intrinsic wisdom of the contract extension:

The contract in question wouldn’t extend the Rays’ control over Forsythe, but it would provide the team with cost certainty going forward — an element that is more crucial to a budget-conscious club like Tampa Bay than to many others. From Forsythe’s vantage point, he’ll gain the security of a larger payday now at the cost of some potential earning capacity in the event that he repeats his 2015 breakout. However, if he’s able to replicate last year’s stellar production, he’ll be poised to hit the open market as a highly desirable infield option following the 2017 season, at which point he’d be compensated quite well heading into his age-31 season.

Forsythe was grateful for the contract extension, saying:

It was always in my heart to be an everyday guy and show what I can do at this level. … We’re very appreciative.

Leave a comment