Left fielder David Peralta and the Arizona Diamondbacks avoided arbitration on Friday afternoon, signing a three-year, $22 million extension:
Peralta, 32, was entering his final year of arbitration, expected to become a free agent after the 2020 season. He was projected to make around $8.8 million on a one-year arbitration contract, but instead opted to sign a longer-term deal with Arizona that locks him up through 2022, his age-34 season.
The veteran left fielder will make $7 million in 2020, and $7.5 million in each of the two remaining seasons. In addition, the deal includes $1.25 million in incentives each season. It’s a contract that echoes Eduardo Escobar’s three-year, $21 million extension with the Diamondbacks after the 2018 season. Peralta was mentioned in trade rumors near the trade deadline this year and early in the offseason, but extensions like these two help show that GM Mike Hazen is not afraid to lock up some of his more productive bats as they approach free-agency.
When healthy, the lefty outfielder has proven to be a very productive member of the Diamondbacks lineup since his debut in 2016. He’s an average defender (4 DRS per year with a 1.7 UZR/150), but over his 6-year career, Peralta has hit .290/.346/.478, good for an .824 OPS and a 116 wRC+. In 2018, his most recent full season, he had an .868 OPS, hitting 30 home runs and collecting 3.9 fWAR.
Peralta does have an injury history — he missed over 100 games in 2016 due to a season-ending wrist surgery, and made three separate trips to the IL in 2019 with recurring shoulder issues. Last year, he took a step back offensively (.275/.343/.461, 107 wRC+) due to these issues, but was still worth 1.7 fWAR despite being limited to just 99 games.
If Peralta can stay healthy in 2020, his offensive potential alone could see him outperform his $22 million contract in a single year. He’ll remain a mainstay in left field in Arizona for the next three years, a great signing for Mike Hazen and the Diamondbacks.
Featured Photo: Hayden Schiff, Flickr
