Adrian Gonzalez Signs Extension with Red Sox

According to multiple sources, the Boston Red Sox have agreed to an extension with Adrian Gonzalez worth $154 million over 7 years. Although this was a foregone conclusion, it is welcoming and exciting news. The 2 sides agreed in principle to a deal before a trade was completed in December for the slugging 1st baseman and they were waiting to finalize the deal until after the season began to avoid having it count against the Red Sox luxury tax and to see how Gonzo would recover from shoulder surgery. During the teams’ 2 days off (thanks to a rainout Wed. and a scheduled day off on Thurs.), Theo Epstein and Gonzo’s agent, John Boggs, met and hammered out the final contract. With all the negative energy around the Red Sox, this might just be exactly what they need to get going.

In his brief tenure with the Red Sox, Gonzo has been one of the most consistent hitters on the team, although that isn’t saying much at this point given the teams’ struggles. He is hitting .268 with 4 extra base hits (1 home run, 1 triple, and 2 doubles), 7 RBIs and 1 steal in 11 games. His triple and steal were unexpected, considering he has 9 triples and 2 steals in 869 career games. Maybe his best number this season so far is his BB to K ratio, which is 5 to 3. It’s a small sample size, but throughout his career, he has struck out more than walked in every season but 1, averaging 81 BBs and 124 Ks since 2006. If Gonzo is hitting pretty well now, imagine what will happen once he settles in and really gets comfortable.

Even though almost everyone involved was confident this deal would be finished without any hitches, it is nice to finally have it finalized. The Red Sox have one of the best 1st basemen in baseball on their roster and payroll for years to come. He is an anchor in the lineup, a gold-glove caliber defensive player, and an all-around great teammate. What more can you ask?

For all the latest news and analysis from BoSox Injection, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or with our RSS feed.