On Friday, the Giants and first baseman Brandon Belt agreed on a five-year contract extension worth around $73 million total, CSN Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic reported. The two sides had been discussing an extension for a while, and Pavlovic noted that the two sides nearly reached an agreement on Opening Day, but the hoopla of the beginning of the season delayed it by a little bit.
Belt and the Giants avoided arbitration in February, agreeing on a $6.2 million salary for the 2016 season. The extension begins in 2017 and will pay him $6 million as part of a signing bonus to be paid in January, $2.8 million in 2017, and $16 million in each of the next four seasons.
Belt turns 28 in 10 days and is coming off a season in which he hit .280/.356/.478 with 18 home runs and 68 RBI over 556 plate appearances. While Belt has proved himself to be productive, he has been hampered by injuries. He had surgery at the end of last season to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and he battled concussion symptoms as well. Belt’s career-high in plate appearances is 571, so the Giants would certainly like to see him cross the 600 PA threshold regularly over the next six years.
Along with Belt, the Giants also agreed to a contract extension with shortstop Brandon Crawford. Combined with previous extensions, the Giants are hoping to have a core of Belt, Crawford, Buster Posey, and Madison Bumgarner for at least a few seasons.
