The Los Angeles Angels announced a few minutes ago that they and outfielder Justin Upton have reached an agreement on a five-year contract extension. It will keep him under the Angels’ control through 2022 and pay him $106 million.
Upton was already under contract through 2021, paying him $88.5 million, but possessed opt-out rights this offseason. At the end of the regular season it was reported that he was considering exercising that opt-out. That may or may not have been a negotiating tactic, but if he did opt-out he would’ve had to land a deal paying him in excess of $22 million per year, which was no sure thing.
Not that he isn’t taking a bit of a paycut, at least up front. The deal is restructured to pay him $16 million in 2018, $18 million in 2019, $21 million in 2020, $23 million in 2021 and $28M in 2022. The backloading aside, it’s the equivalent of adding one year and $17.5 million on to his existing deal, but gives the Angels more financial flexibility up front.
Upton posted career-highs in home runs (35), RBI (109), and OPS (.901) this season between the Tigers and Angels, batting .273/.361/.540. In Anaheim specifically, he hit .245/.357/.531 with seven homers in 27 games.
Here’s the Angels’ announcement:
🚨The #Angels have agreed to terms on a five-year contract with OF Justin Upton. The contract will take Upton through the 2022 campaign🚨 pic.twitter.com/sLT2WYSD34
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) November 2, 2017
And Upton’s response:
I am currently out of the country but wanted to say thank you to the @Angels for the opportunity to come back to Anaheim. pic.twitter.com/V4clqFw3c7
— Justin Upton (@JUST_JUP) November 2, 2017
