The Tampa Bay Rays seem to routinely get ahead of the rest of the MLB by paying less money to acquire the best players on their team. Rarely do the Rays make a big-time splash in free agency, yet they often extend homegrown stars as early as possible. With budding star Wander Franco at the negotiating table for a new contract, the Rays could do something unprecedented by their own standards. Tampa Bay is reportedly offering Franco a monster contract.
Rays Have Reportedly Made Record Extension Offer To Wander Franco https://t.co/dN0tA0jISm pic.twitter.com/bjOBCYCwXC
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) November 18, 2021
At least 10 years and in the $150-200 million range? Exact terms of the deal aren't yet known, but that is an insane amount of money for a 20-year-old who has played just 70 games in the major leagues.
Then again, not many 20-year-olds are Wander Franco. The consensus number-one prospect in the MLB prior to his debut, Franco impressed after being called up by the Rays last June. He slashed .288/.347/.463 with seven homers, 18 doubles, five triples and two stolen bases, finishing third in the Rookie of the Year race despite playing in just 70 games.
Not only would the Rays be locking up a potential future star, they would also be getting ahead of things by locking up Franco to a contract up until the 2027 campaign. That would mean that Franco wouldn't be arbitration-eligible or a free agent until then, allowing the Rays to avoid paying him even more money.
So, while this sounds like a lot of money for an unproven, 20-year-old, rival general managers could end up looking at this potential contract as a financial steal for the Rays if Franco truly is a budding superstar.
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