Indians sign Guyer to 2-year contract
The Cleveland Indians continued to shape their team Wednesday in anticipation of spring training by signing outfielder Brandon Guyer to a two-year contract with a club option for 2019.
The contract will pay Guyer $2 million in 2017 and $2.75 million in 2018, reports MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. He'll earn $3 million in 2019 if the club option is exercised. If the option is declined, he'll receive a $250,000 buyout.
Guyer was the lone arbitration-eligible player on the Indians who did not sign before the deadline, but inking the two-year deal will keep both sides from attending an arbitration hearing.
Cleveland will likely include Guyer in its outfield rotation, which also includes Michael Brantley, Lonnie Chisenhall, Tyler Naquin, and Abraham Almonte, although he could potentially see time at designated hitter, too.
| PLAYER | PA | HR | RBI | OPS | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Guyer | 293 | 9 | 32 | .795 | 1.2 |
| Michael Brantley | 43 | 0 | 7 | .561 | 0.0 |
| Lonnie Chisenhall | 418 | 8 | 57 | .767 | 1.2 |
| Tyler Naquin | 365 | 14 | 43 | .886 | 2.5 |
| Abraham Almonte | 194 | 1 | 22 | .695 | 0.4 |
The lefty-mashing Guyer came to the Indians in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays at last season's August non-waiver deadline, and went on to hit .333/.438/.469 for the Indians, including .333/.500/.389 in the postseason.
The 30-year-old also posted an impressive 1.021 OPS against left-handed pitching in 2016.
He earned $1.185 million last season, his fifth in the big leagues.