Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich would have dominated this year’s free-agent market, but here is why he did not.
In today’s day and age, 2020, baseball superstars are compensated in extreme amounts. Three free agents, Anthony Rendon, Stephen Strasburg, and Gerrit Cole, inked of at least $35 million per year. Makes you wonder just how much could Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich have gotten in this market?
The major factor that contributes to how much a star will get paid is when they hit free agency. If a player hits free agency before 30 years old or even younger, they will most likely get a deal of at least $30 million a year.
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Christian Yelich is one of baseball’s superstars. However, because of an extension, he signed with the Miami Marlins in 2014 after his first full season with the Marlins in 2014. It was a seven-year, $49.57 million deal. At the time, that was a serious pay upgrade for the young outfielder.
He received the deal after his 2014 campaign, in which he batted .284 with nine home runs, 54 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and a .362 on-base percentage and .764 OPS.
The Marlins knew this was just the beginning for Yelich and that his ceiling was very high. They locked him up and it was a genius move by the club. This was a genius move by Miami because it increased his trade value since he has more control. He is locked up on this deal through at least 2022.
Yelich was supposed to be a free agent this offseason. Imagine if he was a free agent this offseason. He would have become a very, very rich man.
Even with the knee fracture that ended Yelich’s season on September 10th, the Brewers slugger would have been the number one free agent this season.
Yes, he would have been ahead of Gerrit Cole. Yes, he would have been ahead of Anthony Rendon.
Yelich just turned 28 years old and is coming off of back-to-back MVP caliber seasons, winning the award in 2018.
Minimum 1,000 plate appearances, Yelich leads MLB with a .327 batting average, is second in slugging and on-base percentage and is third in home runs.
He has been the best player in the National League since he joined the Brewers. He is a top-five player in baseball and is still so young. His outfield versatility intensifies his value. The bidding was for Yelich would have been insane and intense. Ten years for $350 million could have been a possible deal for the young stud.
But, he is still stuck to that extension and will not hit the open market until he is in his 30’s. The Milwaukee Brewers should do the right thing by him and sign him to a new, longer and larger extension.