Christian Yelich made his 2020 Cactus League debut on Friday. Before his 2020 debut, he took care of some business. The Milwaukee Brewers officially announced Yelich’s contract extension on Friday.
2018 NL MVP and two-time reigning NL batting champion @ChristianYelich has officially agreed to a 9-year contract through the 2028 season with a mutual option for 2029.#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/F4txNVasDE
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 6, 2020
The deal is for nine years and $215 million. Yelich will be with the Brewers at least through 2028, and there is a mutual option for 2029. Yelich’s deal is the largest deal in Milwaukee’s history, surpassing Ryan Braun’s $105 million extension in 2011. He will have a $12.5 million and $14 million salary this year and next year respectively and then earn $26 million a season from 2022 to 2028, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. If both sides exercise the option, then he could earn up to $228.5 million in base salaries.
Yelich has the $12.5M and $14M years from his old deal for 2020 and 2021. Then 2022 to 2028 at $26 mil, then mutual option for 2029 at $20M with a $6.5M buyout. That is how it gets to $215M. Then it could be $228.5 with mutual option. #crew
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 5, 2020
“I’m really glad that I’m able to spend the foreseeable future here — the rest of my career as a Milwaukee Brewer,” Yelich said at a news conference. “I’ve said many times that I’ve only been here two years, but it feels like it’s been a lot longer. Ever since I came here, it just felt like a natural fit.”
He added, “This is a place where I wanted to play and where I wanted to be,” Yelich said. “I realize that I had three years before free agency, but above all else, I meant it when I said that I want to finish my career as a Milwaukee Brewer. Not only that, I want to be a part of winning teams as a Milwaukee Brewer. That’s very important to myself. It’s a large sum of money and people are always going to ask the ‘what-if’s’ — did you leave [money on the table] or not? — but I play the game to win, and to be a part of a place that I feel comfortable and I take pride in representing. For me, this is that place.”
Yelich was traded to the Brewers by the Miami Marlins before the 2018 season. In 2018 he hit .326 with 36 home runs and 110 RBIs, won a Silver Slugger, and was the National League MVP. Last year he hit .329 with 44 home runs, and 97 RBIs. He won another Silver Slugger award and finished second in MVP voting.
The deal is good for the Brewers and Yelich. Yelich gets to play for the team that he wants to play for and the Brewers have a star player for years to come. Before Yelich was traded to Milwaukee, the Brewers had made the playoffs only twice in 35 years. The Brewers have made the playoffs both seasons that Yelich has been with them. Look for the Brewers compete for a World Series title in the near future with Yelich as the cornerstone.
