Blue Jays sign Grichuk to five-year contract extension
The Toronto Blue Jays have signed outfielder Randal Grichuk to a five-year contract extension.
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
After trading Kevin Pillar earlier in the day, the Toronto Blue Jays have signed outfielder Randal Grichuk to a reported five-year, $52-million contract extension.
The deal was officially announced on Tuesday evening.
The extension was first reported by Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi. Grichuk could’ve become a free agent after the 2020 campaign.
Davidi reports that the 27-year-old outfielder, who was to earn $5 million this season, will now see his 2019 salary boosted to $7 million. Grichuk will also receive a $5-million signing bonus. According to Davidi, Grichuk will earn $12 million in 2020 and then salaries of $9,333,333 from 2021 through 2023.
Originally selected in the first round (24th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2009 MLB draft, Grichuk was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals with outfielder Peter Bourjos on November 22, 2013 in exchange for third baseman David Freese and pitcher Fernando Salas. He’d bat .249 with 66 home runs in 404 games over parts of four seasons with the Cards before he was traded to the Blue Jays on January 19, 2018 for reliever Dominic Leone and pitching prospect Conner Greene.
After a slow start, Grichuk proceeded to enjoy the best season of his major league career with the Blue Jays in 2018, establishing career-highs in home runs (25) and doubles (32), while playing solid defence in right field.
Grichuk could see more playing time in centre field with the departure of Pillar.