That’s amore. The Pirates announced Tuesday they have signed catcher Francisco Cervelli to a three-year extension worth $31 million. The extension will keep the 30 year old catcher in a Pirates uniform through the 2019. In the deal, he will make $9 million in 2017, $10.5 million in 2018 and $11.5 million in 2019.
The extension is a smart move for the Pirates. Cervelli was going to be a free agent after this season after he signed $3.5 million arbitration deal for 2016. He came to the team in a trade prior to the 2015 season with the New York Yankees, which sent reliever Justin Wilson to the Big Apple.