Rangers exercise Adrian Beltre's vesting option for 2016
The Texas Rangers extended the contract of All-Star third baseman Adrian Beltre by exercising his $16-million option for 2016, the team announced Monday.
Beltre's option for next season was set to vest with 586 plate appearances in 2015, a benchmark he's exceeded in each of the last three years. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that rather than pay Beltre $18 million this season and $16 million in 2016, the two sides agreed to swap those figures.
"Really a no-brainer for us," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told the Star-Telegram's Jeff Wilson. "You're talking about one of the best players in the game, a future Hall of Famer, a team leader. We just didn't want it to be a story this summer. We didn't want there to be a watch on the plate appearances."
Beltre, who slashed .324/.388/.492 (147 OPS+) in 2014, is entering his 18th season in the majors. The 35-year-old has played the best baseball of his career since joining the Rangers, averaging 29 homers and 33 doubles per year over the last four seasons.
He signed a five-year, $80-million contract with Texas after clubbing a career-high 49 doubles as a member of the Boston Red Sox in 2010.