UPDATE:
#Royals sign OF Lorenzo Cain to 2-year contract, avoiding arbitration. pic.twitter.com/GZfsc02WXr
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) January 18, 2016
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The entire MLB is scrambling Friday to avoid arbitration with their players eligible for a salary increase. The Kansas City Royals are one of those teams and they're close to agreeing to a contract with outfielder Lorenzo Cain.
The Royals have offered Cain a two-year deal worth $17.5 million, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. The contract would cover Cain throughout his arbitration years before he hits free agency following the 2017 season.
Passan also noted team officials said the 29-year-old was asking for a six-year contract this offseason. Passan says the fact that the new deal isn't beyond 2017 means Cain is "likely" gone in two years.
Cain was projected to earn $6.1 million in his second year of arbitration this offseason, according to MLBTradeRumors.com. The outfielder established himself as one of the best in the MLB this past season after hitting .307/.361/.477 with 101 runs scored, 16 home runs, 72 RBI and 28 stolen bases in 140 games, finishing third in the AL MVP voting. It was his first All-Star campaign and it was a marked improvement from his breakout 2014 season.
He also finished 11th in the MLB with a 7.21 WAR.
However, at 29 years old and with only one All-Star season under his belt, the Royals probably weren't ready to pounce at the opportunity to pay him over the long-term this offseason when they have a number of other players to worry about moving forward.
Kansas City likely "balked" (as Passan said) at Cain's request for a six-year deal because the organization does not hand out those types of contracts since they are a smaller market club. Their payroll is expected to reach a franchise-record $124.6 million (and will break last year's record of $112.8 million).
Additionally, the Royals have talented center field prospect Bubba Starling, who is expected to be ready once Cain hits the open market.
Still, Cain remains an important player in terms of the Royals' success in the immediate future and he's going to earn himself a nice contract if he continues on his current path.
