Los Angeles (AFP) – Will Smith, a catcher who helped the Los Angeles Dodgers to victory in the 2020 World Series, agreed to a 10-year contract extension worth $140 million, the team announced Wednesday.
Smith had five hits in 10 times at bat for the Dodgers during Major League Baseball’s two season-opening games last week in South Korea.
The 28-year-old American was an MLB All-Star last year with a .261 batting average, 19 home runs and 76 runs batted in over 126 games.
Smith, in his sixth season with the Dodgers, has 91 home and 308 runs batted in and a .263 batting average over 486 career MLB contests.
His signing continued the Dodgers’ trend of signing top talent to long-term deals to ensure a solid core of contenders for years to come.
Instead of becoming a free agent after the 2025 campaign, Smith is set to play for the Dodgers through 2033.
The Dodgers signed a 10-year deal with designated hitter Shohei Ohtani worth $700 million and a 12-year deal worth $325 million with his Japanese compatriot, pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto plus a five-year contract worth $137 million with Tyler Glasnow.
Smith bats fourth in the powerful Dodgers batting lineup behind a trio of former Most Valuable Players — Mookie Betts, Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.
© 2024 AFP
