According to Jorge Ebro of the El Nuevo Herald, the White Sox have signed Alexei Ramirez to a four-year, $32 million extension with a $10 million club option for a fifth year.
Ramirez, who defected from Cuba via the Dominican Republic, originally signed a four-year, $4.4 million contract with the White Sox in December of 2007, so he has provided tremendous value until this point.
He opted out of his contract this past December, but the White Sox reserved the right to exercise a $2.75 million option for 2011. They swiftly did so, though the two sides were expected to discuss a contract extension all along. It’s not yet known if this new contract will replace his salary for the upcoming season.
The 29-year-old Ramirez has a .283/.321/.430 batting line over his first three seasons in the big leagues. Though his lack of patience remains a glaring weakness in his game, he has averaged 18 home runs and 72 RBI per season. He won his first Silver Slugger Award last season and has evolved into one of the better fielding shortstops in the game, according to UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) on FanGraphs.