Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus will not exercise the remaining opt-out clause in his eight-year, $120MM contract, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. It’s hardly a surprising decision, given that Andrus has three years and $43MM remaining on said contract and struggled through a second straight down year at the plate in 2019.
Andrus, 31, was mostly healthy this season after missing a substantial chunk of the 2018 campaign with a fractured elbow (suffered when he was hit by a pitch). Andrus scuffled mightily at the plate upon returning last year, and while this season’s .275/.313/.393 batting line in 147 games/648 plate appearances was an improvement over his post-injury form in 2018, it was still well south of the league average (76 wRC+, 78 OPS+).
This was the second and final chance that Andrus had to opt out of the eight-year extension he signed with the Rangers. He also had the opportunity to walk away from the final four years and $58MM on his contract last offseason but opted not to do so after the aforementioned struggles upon his return from injury. He’ll now earn salaries of $15MM in 2020, $14MM in 2021 and $14MM in 2022. The contract also has a vesting option that would guarantee Andrus a $15MM salary in 2023 if he totals 550 plate appearances in 2022 or a combined 1100 plate appearances in 2021-22. Those are highly attainable plate appearance totals — particularly for Andrus, who has only fallen shy of 550 PAs in a season twice before (last year, due to the broken elbow, and during his rookie campaign in 2009).
Clearly, the remainder of the contract isn’t a bargain for the Rangers, but Andrus remains a well-regarded defender and an above-average baserunner. If he can restore some combination of his 2016 levels of plate discipline (8.3 percent walk rate) and 2017 levels of power (20 home runs, .176 ISO), a return to average or slightly above-average offensive output is possible. It’s worth noting, too, that Andrus was sporting a hearty .303/.339/.453 slash at the All-Star break, although that was mostly the result of an absolute sizzling month of April. Also of note is that Andrus, who just wrapped up his 11th season with the Rangers, secured full 10-and-5 rights prior upon completion of the 2018 season, meaning he has full veto power over any trade scenario.
macstruts
Being an Angel fan it’s nice to know the value of a fine shortstop. I’d like to see Simmons play another four years in an Angel uniform for a similar payday.
StandUpGuy
Being a Braves fan I am thoroughly upset that Simmons is an Angel in the first place. In that trade the Angels got the beat defensive shortstop since Ozzie Smith and the Braves got Sean Newcomb. I think Newcomb will be better next year and maybe in the starting rotation but it doesn’t matter. He walked so many people before the Braves had to move him to the bullpen and not in a closer/setup role. Trading the best defensive shortstop of this generation for a middle relief pitcher is just bad business. I mean seriously. Simmons won a PLATINUM glove for his defense at shortstop. Who does that? I didn’t even know those were given out. As long as Simmons can hit .260 with 10 home runs his defensive ability at the position he plays will make him a well above average WAR player. And he has had several seasons with offensive numbers well above that.
macstruts
I love Simmons. Aybar was much like Andrus when the Angels had him, then after the Angles traded him, he fell off the map.
I think everyone thought he’d be a pretty good player with the Braves. He was only 32, but he became awful very very fast.
StandUpGuy
Yeah the Braves have a somewhat disappointing stories history with the Aybar family. Years before the Braves acquired Erick from the Angels they traded one of their top prospects at the time named Wilson Betimit to the Dodgers for Ericks little brother Willy Aybar. Willy was supposed to be more talented than Erick and had higher upside. Willy almost immediately got a hand injury while playing for the Braves and then for some reason stopped showing up for his medical treatments he needed for his hand injury and then stopped communicating with the Braves altogether. He was under contract and not suffering what would be considered a very long term injury but the Braves still had no idea where he was or even what country he was in. It eventually came out that he was on drugs and that’s why he didn’t show up. The Braves really thought he was gonna be better than Erick and a lotnof scouts did too. The sad thing is the Braves gave up a long term price in Betemit to get him and thought they were getting a long term piece back. The Braves also did get Dennys Baez from the Dodgers in that deal but he was just a 2 month rental relief pitcher that wasn’t even good enough at the time to even be considered as a closer. They were counting on Willy Aybar. The funniest/strangest point in the whole Willy Aybar scenario was when the media interviewed Chipper Jones and asked questions about him post game. Willy had been gone so long for no reason that Chipper literally didn’t even realize he was technically even still on the team any more. Willy Aybars own teammate thought he played for another team. That’s all that really needs to be said about Willy Aybars playing career. Erick wasn’t spectacular by the time the Braves got him but he was definitely far superior to his younger “more talented” brother.
darkangel
thank i love Simmons.
CowboysoldierFTW
While I am not a big Rangers fan, I can team you the Fan’s love Elvis.
madmanTX
Not all of us. His career has been a roller coaster. Some seasons, you think he’s matured and on his way to being a superstar. Other seasons, he can’t hit, cant field and looks lost. It probably didn’t help that Beltre retired—he pushed Andrus hard.
DarkSide830
the Rangers will thank him for this by the time the deal’s up
Dutch Vander Linde
Elvis sucks!
2weeks
you suck
macstruts
Wow, that’s informative. Do you know much about baseball?
He’s a fine player. Not great, but a fine player. How does that translate to “suck”?
imindless
Not for that price tag….below average with the bat all but 2 years.
Show Me Your Tatis
Well color me shocked!
trog
Good deal for the Rangers. Getting a quality FA for 3/$43MM on the open market would have been impossible, especially when Didi will be the only above average SS available, and no guarantee he will leave NY.
warwhatisitgoodfor
Except Andrus isn’t above average…doubtful to even be league average. I wouldn’t want my team paying 15 mil a year for potentially league average results- although lord knows there are too many Moustakas overpays so he probably would have gotten close to that on the open market haha.
macstruts
Yes he is above average. But what’s your average? There are a lot of great shortstops today. So that skews things.
Just three years ago is was ranked #6, fangraphs war. Last year he was hurt, this year he ranks 22.
Ten years ago, he’d be near the top. Today, I’d rate him near the middle.
LosPobres1904
FTD!
charles stevens
Not a big deal. It’s not like they have anyone better to replace him with and they won’t be contending for a couple more years.
macstruts
For the Rangers, opening a new stadium. I don’t think they mind. it’s one less landing spot for Didi though.
okiguess
The opt out should be mutual, player or club.
Sky14
Teams are free to negotiate that, the opt out is an added incentive to get the player to sign.
El Ruso
Like we see with the Pillar situation–league average or slightly below now pays between $5 and $10 million per year. Every team seems to want a roster full of 25 22-year-olds all making minimum wage.
jorge78
Shocking! Simply shocking!
bleacherbum
Andrus had some of his best years under Ron Washington. Since he doesn’t plan on opting out maybe this is the scenario where a bad contract swap with Wil Myers finally works. 43 million owed to Andrus, 67 million to Myers.
Myers, Luis Urias and Joey Cantillo for Andrus and a prospect. No money switches hands and both teams address needs.
Andrus plays 2B for the Padres, while Urias takes over at SS for the Rangers, Myers can play 1B.
The Padres save roughly 23 million that can be re-allocated into starting pitching that they desperately need.
TheLawAbides
Wouldn’t he have a full no trade? He’s not going anywhere he doesn’t want to
User 1104686089
Why the heck would the Rangers do this? They are fine with Elvis at SS until one of the young guys can take over, no need to pay that much for Will Myers haha
Soapbox
Elvis is a proven everyday player, not the best but, not the worse. On this team under Jon Daniels, we should be happy to have him back. I look forward to seeing him standing at SS next year. Texas has a good 3rd baseman in Kiner-Kalifa. The Rangers have tried to ruin his career but he’s still hanging on. The Rangers rebuilding? They just tried to get a season by as cheap as they could and did. Congratulations to Asdrúbal Cabrera (Natz) and Robinson Chirinos (Astros) for going to the World Series and no Jon Daniels.