Earlier this month, Nolan Arenado set a record. The Rockies announced that they’d pay him $26 million in 2019—the highest salary ever given to a player eligible for arbitration—after the two parties agreed to bypass a hearing one year before the third baseman reached free agency. Already, though, this record has disappeared. However, you want to parse the language, Arenado’s $26-million 2019 isn’t happening. Instead, he’s reportedly signing a new contract and setting a new record. A $260-million, eight-year extension with Colorado—with no-trade clause, and an opt-out after the third season—will begin this year, supplanting his previously negotiated salary for the season, to give him the highest average annual payday for a position player.
Nolan Arenado, Rockies Find Security in a Precarious Market With $260 Million Extension
