The Detroit Tigers have reportedly agreed to a contract with free agent outfielder Justin Upton. The Tigers had been linked to several outfielders this offseason and the addition of Upton fills a need.
sources: upton will be getting long-term deal from tigers
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 19, 2016
The move came quickly, as Ken Rosenthal had only just reported that the Tigers were in talks with Upton. Rosenthal later reported it's a six-year deal for Upton worth $132.75 million. That makes Upton the third highest-paid position player this offseason. The deal also includes an opt-out, but it's not clear after which year.
Upton is just 28 years old and has spent time with the San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks. During his nine-year MLB career, Upton has a .271 batting average. He's hit 190 home runs and has stolen 115 bases.
Upton will start in left field of the Tigers. The Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers and Houston Astros also had interest in Upton, but wanted him to sign a short-term deal.
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