Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre is among the best in baseball, but he'll be a free agent after the 2016 season. The two sides have expressed a willingness to negotiate a contract extension, but they've yet to reach an agreement. That might change during the season.
General manager Jon Daniels indicated that in-season talks are not out of the question despite the widely held sentiment that they're a distraction for the player and team.
"We haven't [tabled talks]," he told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. "It's generally been our policy not to [negotiate] in season, but we have made an exception on occasion. It doesn't have to be set in stone, a black-and-white kind of thing."
"Whether we get something done now or whether it's later, nothing has changed how we feel about Adrian ... It's very clear where we stand: We want him to be here beyond this year."
However, a report from Jon Heyman earlier in the offseason suggested that there was a "significant gap" between the two sides in talks because Beltre is reportedly seeking a three-year deal that will pay him $19 million per season. While the soon-to-be 37-year-old has arguably been the team's best player over the past five seasons, it's unknown if the club would want to sink that many years and that much money into an aging veteran.
He's already owed $18 million this year, and the team may have another third base option after 2016, depending on Joey Gallo's development in the minors. The youngster made his MLB debut last year and was initially electrifying before some of his flaw were exposed (he was sent back down when Beltre came off the disabled list).
But Beltre has managed to play through injuries and put up formidable numbers. He battled thumb and back issues last year and still hit .287/.334/.453 with 83 runs scored, 18 homers and 83 RBIs, which helped him finish seventh in the AL MVP voting.
Daniels said he plans to "touch base" with Beltre's agent Scott Boras before the team opens the 2016 season on Monday. The slugger said Friday he'd "prefer not to continue negotiations in season," but perhaps Boras and Daniels can handle that behind closed doors without it being a distraction for him.
Either way, Beltre is in a favorable situation. If he gets the contract extension, he'll remain where he wants to be for the rest of his career. If he doesn't, he'll head into free agency as one of the top available players.
