Two Major League Baseball (MLB) top free agents in the next offseason have not discussed contract extensions with their respective teams. Toronto Blue Jays’ Josh Donaldson and Minnesota Twins’ Brian Dozier reveal they are open to signing new contracts with their current teams.
Brian Dozier said he is open to having contract extension talks with the Twins, but if there is no discussion, he said it would not be a lingering issue, said Dan Hayes on Twitter.
“I think it’s been said enough that I want to be here,” Dozier said , per ESPN . “They [the Twins front office] know where we’re at. … They definitely know.”
Dozier has one of the highest numbers of home runs in baseball, making 104 home runs from 2015 to 2017. Last year, he was the best player of the Twins and won the A.L. Gold Glove at second base. This season, he is set to receive $9 million in the last year of his four-year $20 million contract.
Josh Donaldson, on one hand, said his reps have not had a substantive discussion with the Blue Jays’ front office as far as he knows. However, he said that he still wants to stay in Toronto.
“As we talked about at the end of the season last year, I’ve definitely voiced my opinion that I would like to stay here,” Donaldson said Saturday, per Toronto Star. “That hasn’t changed.”
Donaldson, an MVP-caliber producer in the past five years, has been signed to a one-year $23 million deal to avoid arbitration. The star third baseman hopes to stay with the Blue Jays for the long term, but there is no progress on that yet. The Blue Jays are expected to start the regular season with Donaldson and re-evaluate their deal midway. Donaldson hopes his agents would be able to sit down with them before the regular season starts.
Josh Donaldson is still seeking a long-term deal with the Blue Jays https://t.co/5jKwjcWNvE
— MILAN MILAN! (@MILANFERNANDEZ) January 21, 2018
According to CBS Sports, next offseason’s free agent list will include many great players, which is why teams are hesitant to sign huge contracts this winter. They want to check out the free agent market first and shop for the best players they can get in reasonable deals. Aside from Donaldson and Dozier, other big names joining the MLB free agent class are Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper, Baltimore Orioles’ Manny Machado, Colorado Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon, and Houston Astros’ Dallas Keuchel. Only eight of the top 20 free agents have already signed contract extensions this winter.
