Eric Hosmer signs 8-year, $144 million deal with Padres, per reports

The ice cold MLB free agent market might be starting to thaw, with one of the winter’s biggest targets apparently landing in a new home. The San Diego Padres have reportedly agreed to terms with first baseman Eric Hosmer, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Hosmer will reportedly get an eight-year deal per Jon Morosi of MLB.com, including an opt-out clause after five seasons, with a total guarantee of $144 million per Scott Miller of Bleacher Report:

The first baseman was rumored to have substantial offers from both the Padres and Royals.

Hosmer hit .318/.385/.498 with 25 home runs and 31 doubles for the Kansas City Royals in 2017, and has averaged 29 doubles and 23 home runs over the last three seasons, with a 119 OPS+ during that span.

Hosmer was key to Kansas City’s back-to-back World Series teams, culminating in a championship in 2015. He turned 28 in October.

This is just the third free agent contract longer than three years this winter, along with Yu Darvish to the Cubs (6 years, $126 million) and outfielder Lorenzo Cain to the Royals (5 years, $80 million), the latter a teammate of Hosmer’s in Kansas City for seven seasons.

Wil Myers hit 58 home runs, 58 doubles and stole 48 bases the last two seasons as San Diego’s first baseman while hitting .251/.332/.462, a 112 OPS+, reportedly told the team in December he would be willing to move to the outfield if the Padres signed a first baseman this winter, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.

Myers, who has played 207 games in the outfield in his career in addition to 327 games at first base, signed a six-year, $83 million extension with San Diego last January that takes him through 2022, plus a club option for 2023.