Updating a previous report, the Cardinals have yet to officially come to terms with Molina on a contract extension, but remain hopeful of doing so before a Sunday night deadline, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis:The team and player are operating under a deadline of getting a contract extension finalized before Sunday night's season opener versus the Cubs. While there is a mutual option for the 2018 season under the veteran backstop's current pact, Molina has already expressed an interest in exploring free agency if there is no long-term contract in place by that point. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak remains "hopeful" and "optimistic" about a deal getting done in time, and discussions have apparently reached the point where very specific parameters have already been made public; Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported Thursday that a three-year extension of between $55 and $65 million was all but done.
