Angels' Kole Calhoun: Inks three-year contract extension

Calhoun (core muscle injury) signed a three-year, $26 million contract extension with the Angels on Wednesday, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

Analysis:

The contract extension buys Calhoun out of his remaining three years of arbitration, and includes a $14 million player option for 2020, when he would become a free agent for the first time. The Angels have struggled to surround Mike Trout with quality complementary bats in recent seasons, but Calhoun is one of the few exceptions. Though he saw an eight-homer reduction from the 26 he slugged in 2015, Calhoun didn't surrender any power, as his ISO held steady last season, while his .271/.348/.438 slash line represented an improvement in each area. The 29-year-old was also a picture of durability, missing five games or less for the second year in a row. Calhoun is still recovering from offseason surgery to address a core muscle injury, but he's expected to be ready to go for spring training.