Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune reports that first baseman Eric Hosmer has signed an eight-year deal with the San Diego Padres. The deal includes an opt-out after the fifth season per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
The deal is front-loaded as it’s worth $20 million for the first five years, then $13 million for each of the last three for an $18 million AAV per Scott Miller of Bleacher Report.
Hosmer, 28, hit .318/.385/.498 with 25 home runs and 94 RBIs for the Royals in 2017. He played in all 162 games en route to his fourth Gold Glove award in five seasons. He finished 14th in MVP voting.
This signing almost certainly moves Wil Myers, who hit 30 home runs in 2017, to the outfield. Myers signed a six-year, $83 million contract prior to the 2017 season and thus is under contract through 2022. His contract includes a club option worth $20 million for 2023.
This Padres still have a long way to go before they are seen as contenders, but this move is a huge step in the right direction.
