*Photo from CBS Denver*
A position that was once, at the start of the season, in flux for the Colorado Rockies, is now locked down for a few more years. The Rockies and C Elias Diaz have agreed to a 3 year, $14.5 million contract extension, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The Rockies have confirmed the extension.
The news was broken a day after Diaz turned 31, having just completed his 7th season in the majors. The extension covers the final year of arbitration eligibility, and the first two free agency years for Diaz. An extension seemed unlikely at the start of the season, given the atrocious start he had, but he dramatically improved as the season progressed to seize the starting catcher job, beating out rookie Dom Nunez.
Rockies manager Bud Black said of what makes Diaz good that "It’s a combination of the physical strength, the durability and the work capacity, and also mentally being able to withstand the rigors of catching, and mentally, feeling fresh to know that you’re fine to play that many games. It’s a mindset for a guy who plays every day, never talks himself into being tired or talks himself into, ‘I need a day off.'"
In his second season with the Rockies in 2021, Diaz hit to a .246 average with a .774 OPS, hitting 18 home runs and driving in 44 runs while playing in 106 games for the Rockies. On the defensive side of the spectrum, Diaz threw out 42.1 percent of potential base stealers, second best in the majors among qualified catchers, trailing only Salvador Perez.
In 7 big league seasons, split between the Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates, Diaz has a lifetime ,248 average with a .690 OPS, hitting 33 home runs while driving in 135, stealing one base in 382 games played. He joined the Rockies for the 2020 season after he was non tendered by the Pirates following the 2019 season.
The news of the extension continues a busy offseason for the Rockies, who saw Charlie Blackmon exercise his player option for the 2023 season. They also signed 1B CJ Cron and RHP Antonio Senzatela to extensions at the end of the season, and agreed to a one year deal with Jhoulys Chacin earlier in the offseason.
Comments
Post a Comment