Josh Harrison gets extension from Pirates, could make $50M in six years
After a surprisingly successful 2014, Josh Harrison has morphed from a Pittsburgh Pirates utility man into a crucial piece of the team’s long-term plan. And now, he’s getting paid as such.
The Pirates announced Wednesday that they’ve agreed to a four-year contract extension with Harrison. It includes two club options, which could keep him in Pittsburgh through the 2020 season.
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Per CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, Harrison will make $27.3 million in the first four seasons, all of which is guaranteed money. The two option seasons pay $10.5 million and $11.5 million, making Harrison’s max deal worth $50.3 million.
Harrison, 27, was an All-Star last year and finished ninth in MVP voting, a true surprise story for a guy who played 60 games the season before and hit .250. In 2014, though, he slashed .315/.347/.490 and had the second-highest batting average in the NL. Harrison’s 5.0 WAR, according to Fangraphs, was second highest on the Pirates after Andrew McCutchen.
What also makes Harrison a keeper is that he can play almost any position on the field. In the past two seasons, he’s played every position except center field, first base and catcher. He even pitched once in 2013. But Harrison found a home at third base last season for the Pirates, playing about half his games there.
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It’s always a gamble to lock up a player after a breakout season, especially a late-bloomer like Harrison. But he’s arbitration-eligible next season, so this brings cost-certainty to the Pirates. They’re a lower-payroll team, so putting a fixed cost on those arbitration years now could be crucial if Harrison continues to play like an All-Star.
It’s especially important as the team maneuvers toward a long-term deal with McCutchen, their superstar. He’ll become a free agent in 2018 and you can bet the Pirates want to lock him up before he gets anywhere close to the open market.
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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
