In the wake of wild trade deadline activity, the Twins announced on Thursday they have extended catcher Kurt Suzuki on a two-year deal that is, according to The Associated Press, worth $12 million.
Kurt Suzuki signs 2-year, $12 million extension with Twins
Twins extend their catcher Kurt Suzuki, who will now be providing prospect insurance in the greater Minneapolis area for the next two years.
Elsa
The signing comes on the heels of what looks to be a career upswing for Suzuki, who made his first All-Star team in 2014, the highlight of his best year as a major leaguer hitting .304/.367/.380. Some may be worried that Suzuki will be 33 by the very end of this contract, and has struggled to hit above .275 for most of his career, but the Twins were likely fully aware of his birthdate and his stat sheet when they signed him to the deal.
Given that much of his relative worth as a catcher is defensive -- he was brought in to replace former MVP and current Twins first baseman Joe Mauer at backstop -- even with an offensive regression anywhere near what he was doing the past few seasons, the contract will likely retain most of its value. And with prospect Josmil Pinto struggling mightily on that side of the ball -- and not doing too hot on the swinging side, either -- Suzuki will be worth his weight in gold until the Venezuelan prospect figures it all out.
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