Athletics give Tyler Soderstrom 7-year deal in largest contract in franchise history

Tyler Soderstrom has go the centerpiece of the Athletics’ semipermanent plan, agreeing to a seven-year, $86 cardinal hold that tin turn substantially with incentives and includes a nine enactment for an eighth season. Sources told ESPN the woody is the largest declaration successful franchise history, a large committedness to a 24-year-old coming disconnected a breakout 2025.

Soderstrom delivered successful his archetypal afloat season, hitting .276/.346/.474 with 25 location runs and 93 RBIs. He besides gave the A’s thing they did not person from him before: stableness successful near field. After converting from catcher and archetypal base, helium played the presumption afloat clip for the archetypal clip and provided above-average defense, pairing beardown reads with a unsafe arm.

A grounds woody arsenic the A’s oculus Las Vegas

The declaration guarantees $12.3 cardinal per year, placing it among the 10 highest yearly guarantees for players with two-plus years of service. It besides buys retired the last 4 years earlier Soderstrom would person reached escaped agency, past adds 4 much seasons connected apical of that. The escalators tin propulsion the full worth arsenic precocious arsenic $131 cardinal if helium continues to ascent into prima territory.

The determination fits the franchise’s bigger timeline. The A’s are expected to relocate to Las Vegas successful 2028 and proprietor John Fisher has prioritized arriving with a competitory core. The squad volition play successful a insignificant league stadium successful Sacramento for a 2nd consecutive year, coming disconnected a 76-86 play that could displacement rapidly with improved pitching.

Building astir a deep, controllable lineup

Soderstrom present joins designated hitter Brent Rooker and close fielder Lawrence Butler arsenic cardinal pieces nether declaration done astatine slightest 2030. The lineup is besides stocked with young endowment inactive nether squad control, including archetypal baseman Nick Kurtz, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, and rookie Jacob Wilson, 1 of six AL hitters to bat supra .300. Catcher Shea Langeliers, halfway fielder Denzel Clarke and caller commercialized summation Jeff McNeil adhd much depth.

Soderstrom’s bat remains the anchor. Kurtz’s accomplishment nudged him disconnected archetypal base, nevertheless the A’s kept his left-handed plaything successful the lineup and watched it instrumentality off. His hold besides lands successful uncommon territory for his work class, with lone a fewer outfielders — Fernando Tatis Jr., Mike Trout and Yordan Alvarez — topping it successful yearly oregon full value.