Tampa Bay Rays make surprising move, offer six year contract extension to Evan Longoria – MLB News
Tampa Bay Rays and Evan Longoria have agreed to a six year $100 million contract extension, reports tampabay.com. Longoria had a great time on the plate last season as he hit .289 with 17 home-runs and 55 RBI’s. The right hander played a big part in many
of the Rays’ victories during the past season.
On Monday, the Rays made the official announcement that they have decided to make Longoria part of their future. It is the beginning of a new era for Longoria whose new contract will let him lead his team on the grass fields of the new Rays’ stadium before
his contract ends in 2023.
Longoria still has four years remaining on his current contract. Add that to the six year contract extension, he could potentially play 10 seasons for the Rays, which will also make him the highest paid athlete in Tampa Bay history.
"This is something,'' Rays’ principal owner Stuart Sternberg said, "Where we feel strongly if we're going to bet on somebody, who they are and their performance and everything, he's one of the only guys we could do it with.''
In some ways, the Rays took a big step in the right direction on Monday. However, Manager Joe Maddon will be looking to add a few more bats to the line-up to have any chance of overcoming the likes of New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles
in the big bad American League East Division.
"It's the perfect situation for me," he said. "There is nothing about this I regret now nor will I regret. This is the place that I want to be."
"If by the end of this contract we're not, it's not going to work out well," Sternberg said during a news conference.
During the news conference, Longoria revealed that he is extremely happy to sign on a six year contract extension. He added that he is looking forward to improve his numbers in the next season. It will be interesting to see if Longoria can live up to the
expectations to help his side make it to the playoffs.
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