KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals and third baseman Hunter Dozier be pleased agreed to a $25 million, four-twelve months contract that entails a fifth-twelve months option, a individual with files of the agreement told The Linked Press on Sunday.
The individual spoke on the condition of anonymity since the deal turned into pending a physical. ESPN.com turned into first to list the extension, which buys out two years of free agency and entails a lot of escalators and bonuses.
“As I’ve stated over and over, we need to support as loads of our talented gamers as we presumably can,” Royals frequent manager Dayton Moore stated closing week, when the crew reported for fat-squad workouts in Surprise, Arizona. “We’ll constantly leer to attain that when the different is barely. There may maybe be a rhythm to that, there is a timing to all those decisions.”
The 29-twelve months-worn Dozier has long been belief to be a cornerstone of the Royals rebuild, especially after a step forward 2019 season whereby he hit 26 homers, tied for the American League lead with 10 triples and drove in 84 runs. Nevertheless he overlooked the originate up of closing season with COVID-19 and harm up hitting ideally suited .228 with six homers and 12 RBIs in 44 games.
Tranquil, the Royals fetch Dozier will revert to construct with a fat spring coaching and 162-sport season.
“I indubitably don’t mediate you throw it away,” he stated. “It’s a studying trip. It’s a season we optimistically never be pleased to battle through again. I mediate it turned into the hardest mental season we’ve been through. I imply, 60 games — there’s loads of force in a 60-sport season. On the total you play 162. You would moreover honest be pleased time to battle through slumps. A 60-sport season, you don’t be pleased time for that, as a crew and as a individual. So I’m indubitably having a search forward to a customary season.”
Dozier will most likely be having a search forward to a fixed space in the day to day lineup. He has most regularly moved between first disagreeable, third disagreeable and honest field the previous few years, however the signing of longtime Cleveland first baseman Carlos Santana coupled with a substitute for Boston outfielder Andrew Benintendi manner Dozier will essentially play third disagreeable this season.
No longer to mention Santana and Benintendi may maybe well moreover honest restful lend a hand Dozier search higher pitches in a vastly improved batting show.
“They made some if reality be told comely strikes this offseason. We’re if reality be told fervent about it,” stated Dozier, who turned into now now not on the beginning lineup for the Royals’ spring coaching opener against Texas on Sunday. “I mediate now we be pleased high expectations each and each season, (but) having a search at this roster, you will have the option to’t lend a hand but fetch furious and originate up taking into account a success a championship.”
Dozier turned into the eighth total purchase in the 2013 first-twelve months participant draft out of Stephen F. Austin. He made his mountainous league debut three years later, then overlooked a lot of the 2017 season with an indirect injury and a broken bone in his wrist.
He at closing modified into an day to day participant in 2018, when he hit .229 with 11 homers and 34 RBIs in 102 games, then built on those numbers right through his breakout 2019 season. Dozier elevated his life like to .279 whereas exhibiting identical vitality that made him a star in the minor leagues, and his defensive versatility made him a mainstay in the lineup.
Given his relatively bumpy avenue to this point, Dozier — and evidently the Royals — fetch his most efficient is yet to come.
“I fetch equivalent to you may maybe moreover honest be pleased to mediate that,” he stated. “You would moreover honest be pleased to constantly enhance, continue to fetch work and optimistically — I don’t esteem to build a cap on something else or space any targets. Honest support working piquant and let that play out esteem it’s miles. Nevertheless I indubitably mediate there is one other diploma. On the least, I am hoping.”
___
Extra AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Offer:
AP source: Royals, Dozier agree to $25M, 4-twelve months deal
