Rangers signed OF Nelson Cruz to a two-year, $16 million contract extension.
The deal was officially announced by the Rangers on Thursday afternoon. According to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com, Cruz can make an additional $500,000 in performance-based incentives. The new contract covers his final two years of arbitration and allows him to hit free agency following the 2013 season. Cruz, 31, has averaged 28 homers, 80 RBI and 15 stolen bases over the past three seasons.
All this does it control him through his arbitration years, not buying out any free agency which is smart by the Rangers. Cruz's legs are a real concern going forward so no reason for the Rangers to keep him any longer than they have to. The Rangers have done very well controlling both Cruz and Andrus over their arbitration years thus saving them money in the process.