The Cleveland Indians agreed to contract extensions with two of their starting pitchers on Sunday, just a day before the team kicks off the 2015 season against the Houston Astros.
Starters Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco will remain with the Indians for at least the next four seasons.
Cleveland signed Kluber, the reigning AL Cy Young winner, to a five-year, $38.5 million extension, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, while Carrasco signed a new four-year contract with $22 million guaranteed, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports.
In recent days it was reported the Indians and Kluber have been making progress in their contract extension talks, but it wasn't clear if a deal would get done before Opening Day. His new five-year deal will cover his arbitration years and includes team options for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
"Kluber's contract breaks down this way: $1 million for 2015, $4.5 million 2016, $7.5 million 2017, $10.5 million 2018, $13 million 2019. In March, Kluber signed a one-year $601,000 deal to avoid having his contract renewed, but that has been adjusted," writes Hoynes.
"The fifth year of the deal can escalate to $17 million depending on incentives in the contract.
"The first club option in 2020 can go from $13.5 million to $17.5 million based on esclators. The 2021 club option can go from $14 million to $18 million with a $1 million buyout."
Hoynes noted Kluber's deal is the largest contract for a pre-arbitration eligible pitcher in MLB history, and if all incentives are met the maximum value can hit $77 million.
As for Carrasco, the right-hander was acquired in a trade that sent former Cleveland Indian pitcher Cliff Lee to the Philadelphia Phillies back in 2009. After a breakout 2014 campaign during which he posted a 2.55 ERA, 0.985 WHIP and 140 strikeouts in 40 games (14 starts), totaling 134 innings, the Indians have rewarded him with an extension on top of his 2015 arbitration salary.
The two avoided arbitration with a one-year, $2.337 million deal earlier this offseason and tacked on three more years and over $19 million. The exact annual figures aren't known, but Passan reported the deal could max out at about $50 million with escalators and options. The 28-year-old is guaranteed $22 million over the next four years and the two club options (worth between $9 million and $10 million each) can increase the deal to over $40 million.
The new deal will cover Carrasco's arbitration years and could potentially keep him in Cleveland for his first two years of free agency.
Kluber will start against the Houston Astros tonight while Carrasco will start against them on Wednesday.
