The Colorado Rockies have made a deal with one of their core members, signing CF Charlie Blackmon to a six-year extension Wednesday. According to NBC Sports lead baseball writer Craig Calcaterra, the deal is for $108 million with escalators that could earn Blackmon a total of $116 million. Calcaterra also reported that the final two years of the deal are player options, and the deal contains a limited no-trade clause.
I have the details on Charlie Blackmon's extension: Six years, $108 million with escalators that can take it to $116 million. Deal runs through 2023. Last two years are player options. Limited no-trade clause. https://t.co/h8nIG66Ddw via @HardballTalk
— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) April 4, 2018
Colorado Rockies Sign Charlie Blackmon to Six-Year Extension
Background
Blackmon debuted with the Rockies in 2011 and has been a consistent presence since 2014. He has appeared in at least 143 games every season since 2014 and is a career .305 hitter. Blackmon has been a solid player for a while, but he has elevated his game significantly over the past two seasons.
He had a career year in 2016 before one-upping that performance in 2017. Blackmon captured the NL batting title after hitting .331 in 2017. He also finished fifth place in the NL MVP voting after hitting 37 HRs, 35 doubles, 14 triples, 213 hits, and scoring 137 runs. Blackmon posted a .399 OBP and .601 slugging for a cool 1.000 OPS last season.
The Deal
The contract is a bit of an odd one, considering Blackmon’s age and the upcoming free agent landscape. Blackmon is playing in his age-31 season, and he should live up to the cost over the first few seasons, but it will be interesting to see if his production stand up over the life of the deal. Additionally, Blackmon’s stats are helped, in part, by playing in hitter friendly Coors Field.
Another reason the contract is a bit questionable is the upcoming free agent market is expected to be one of the deepest in recent memory with Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and others likely to hit the open market. The cost of the deal may be the going rate for Blackmon, but the Rockies might have been better served if they let Blackmon test the market before signing him to a massive extension.
Outlook
In the end, the deal is certainly a great one for Blackmon. He cashes in on a top-five MVP finish with a massive payday. For the Rockies, they at least hold on to one of the core members of a talented offensive group. The NL West remains a tough division, and Colorado will need all the firepower it can get to compete for the post-season.
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