Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners.
During the press conference where Julio Rodriguez spoke to the media and his fans about the new massive contract he signed with the Seattle Mariners, he said,
“I would love to be on the Mariners for the rest of my career and play in front of the Mariners fans for the rest of my career.” Number 44 would follow that up with, “I genuinely mean that. I love being here.”
When we look through MLB history, top players that have spent their entire careers with one team are getting fewer and further between. At 21 years old, no one really looks at their career that way. Instead, there’s a hope that the star will remain on the same team for a very long time, if not their entire career.
The Seattle Mariners fan base has felt that way about many young players; Ken Griffey Jr. Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, and Ichiro all come to mind. Edgar Martinez spent all 18 years of his hall-of-fame career with Seattle. Kyle Seager is the only other player with 10 or more years of experience that stayed in Seattle for their entire career.
Julio Rodriguez could be the second. The day that Ichiro was enshrined in the Mariners Hall-of-Fame, Rodriguez signed a massive deal that is both club-friendly and player-friendly at the same time. It could keep Julio in the Emerald City until 2039, when he’s 38 years old.
Scott Servais said it best, “He’s going to be around longer than the rest of us.” Seventeen years is the potential, and only if he’s been successful. That’s the best part of this. If he’s been successful, the Mariners have probably been successful, and he stays due to that duality of success.”
The contract is unique and, in fact, its broken down into stages. Here are the details:
This year Rodriguez was set to earn the league minimum ($700k), but because he’s likely to finish in the top three for American League Rookie of the Year, he would earn an extra year of service time, accelerating his opportunity to be a free agent.
His dynamite rookie season also puts him in Super-2 status, where he would start arbitration as early as 2024, meaning he would be under Seattle Mariners’ control until 2027. Instead, he’s signed for the next 7-years, guaranteed through the 2029 season.
This is where creativity really becomes a part of this deal. While the initial portion of the deal goes through 2029. At the end of 2028, the Mariners will have a club option
One year before the expiration of the first stage of the contract, the Seattle Mariners must decide to use the club option in the contract to lock in Rodriguez for additional years. That amount is based on performance in MVP balloting, including this season:
Seems pretty simple. When Rodriguez does well, the Seattle Mariners do well, and his wallet does well. If the M’s pick up the 8-year option, then JRod remains in Seattle until 2036, but if they go with the 10-year option, then #44 will be in your M’s program until 2038.
Let’s say that the Mariners do not pick up the club option, and Julio exercises the player option instead. The player option is a 5-year contract worth a minimum of $90M, from which the 12-year, $200M+ guaranteed narrative is derived. Rodriguez can also earn some escalators in this option.
If this option is exercised, Julio remains a Mariner until at least 2034.
If the Seattle Mariners or Julio Rodriguez do not pick up the option in 2028, it’s not the end of the world. There’s a mutual option. It’s pretty simple on the face of it at 7 years, $168M, and would have him signed through 2036. Rodriguez would have the option to play 2029 with the Seattle Mariners but showcase himself should Seattle not pick up the club option.
Rodriguez could gamble on himself as well. Should there be a strong showing, then Julio and the Mariners could extend the contract through 2036. There is also a full no-trade clause in the contract. He joins J.P. Crawford and Robbie Ray (first 3 years) as the only Mariners to have no-trade clauses.
Let’s also give M’s General Manager Jerry Dipoto, some credit for his creativity in getting this deal done. What does he do next? Sign future aces Logan Gilbert and George Kirby to long-term contracts. Maybe he will sign Mitch Haniger to something that gets him through the later stages of his prime and into his mid-30s. Those are a couple of items on the GM’s plate.
Joe Swenson is an award-winning international playwright. His play, “The Final Out,” A story of baseball and inclusivity, will get an initial performance at the Greenville Playhouse in Greenville, South Carolina, before transitioning to VetRep in New York City.