The Cleveland Guardians secured the services of star second baseman Andres Gimenez for the foreseeable future. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Gimenez, and the Guardians have come to terms on a seven-year extension earlier this week.
The extension, which starts next year, is reportedly worth $106.5 million and comes with a club option for the 2031 MLB season. By making the move now, the Guardians have bought out Gimenez’s three arbitration-eligible years.
Gimenez joined the Guardians in 2021 as part of the trade that sent Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco to the New York Mets. The Venezuela native immediately settled in Cleveland’s infield and delivered a breakthrough campaign in 2022. He finished last season batting .297 and adding 17 home runs, 69 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. As a result, he received his first All-Star nod while winning Gold Glove Award and earning the All-MLB Second Team selection.
By locking Gimenez to a long-term deal, the Guardians continued to prioritize keeping young talent in the clubhouse. The team is reportedly pursuing long-term deals with several other standouts at the moment, including reliever Trevor Stephan. They previously signed four-time All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez, and 2022 MLB saves leader Emmanuel Clase to deals that run through the 2028 season.
