Felix Hernandez Agrees to 7 year/175MM extension with Mariners

[{Ron!n}]

Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has agreed to a seven-year, $175 million contract that should be finalized before spring training, making him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history, a person familiar with the contract details told USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the contract is not yet official.

Hernandez was scheduled to earn $19.5 million in 2013 and $20 million in '14. Instead, his new contract will take effect this season and pay him a record average annual value of $25 million through 2019.

Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik and Alan Nero, an agent at Octagon Sports, which represents Hernandez, declined comment.

Hernandez's contract trumps CC Sabathia's seven-year, $161 million deal, signed before the 2010 season, as the richest ever for a pitcher. The average annual value of $25 million trumps the $24.5 million that Zack Greinke will receive annually from the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a six-year, $147 million deal signed in December.

Hernandez signed a five-year, $78 million deal in January 2010, and backed up the Mariners' investment by winning the 2010 American League Cy Young Award, despite winning just 13 games. He produced a 2.27 ERA and struck out 232 in 249 innings, and extended his string of 200-strikeout seasons to four this season. He further established his place in Mariners lore by pitching a perfect game this past Aug. 15.

Hernandez, who turns 27 in April, made his major league debut at 19, and he'll still be just 33 when the contract expires.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...tcher/1899241/

[Jeffy25]

Whoa

[Zander 77]

He pretty much deserves this, but looking at the money, and as a Tiger's fan, ****.

[utl768]

thats the first good contract value wise in a long time

[metswon69]

25 million a season sounds about right after what Greinke got..

[cambovenzi]

Wow.. thats a lot of money

understatement of the day

[C-ross12]

Maybe now everyone can stop throwing out 3 C+ prospect for Felix trade proposals.

[FWBrodie]

[VenezuelanMet]

He pretty much deserves this, but looking at the money, and as a Tiger's fan, ****.

Better prepare those wallets for Verlander! But I wouldn't worry, it's not like Illitch cares.

[doyerfan59]

Good for Felix

[jon32]

Good to see Seattle get this deal done.

[metswon69]

Bob Nightengale ‏@BNightengale

Hernandez originally scheduled to earn $39.5 million over next 2 years, giving him $135.5 million in new earnings over five years.

[Dodgerbluemmm24]

Cool.

Kershaw's contract.

[NateyB24]

So about 200M in total i like it.

[baller101200]

Hell yeah.