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SPORTS Friday 6 december 2019

Reds, Moustakas complete $64 million, 4-year deal

By JOE KAY a rut of six straight losing season and made the All- 75-87 mark, and wasted a “The guy’s a winner,” man-
AP Sports Writer seasons. Moustakas, 31, will Star team for the third time. lot of solid pitching along ager David Bell said. “He’s
CINCINNATI (AP) — Mike motivated by winning.
Moustakas watched the There’s an edge that he
Reds from the visiting dug- brings with that.
out and saw a team on “We’re so close and we
the rise. He decided to have other players and a
become a key part in the team full of guys that want
franchise’s attempt to be- to make that happen.
come a winner again. To get a guy that’s done it
The All-Star infielder com- before played in the post-
pleted a $64 million, four- season and won champi-
year contract with Cin- onships and is truly motivat-
cinnati on Thursday, the ed to not only be the best
biggest free agent deal in but motivate other play-
franchise history. ers, that’s going to add so
They agreed to the deal much to our team.”
earlier in the week. Mousta- It’s Moustakas’ third stop in
kas was in town to sign it three years. He rejected a
and get introduced at the $17.4 million qualifying offer
team’s annual fan festival from Kansas City after the
this weekend. 2017 season but eventually
“Being on the other side, returned to the Royals on a
playing in Milwaukee, I was one-year deal.
able to see what these He was traded to the Brew-
guys had and what they ers that July and finished
were bringing to the table,” with a .251 batting aver-
Moustakas said after pulling In this May 24, 2019, file photo, Milwaukee Brewers’ Mike Moustakas hits an RBI-double during the age, 28 homers and 95 RBIs.
on a No. 9 Reds uniform. “I first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, in Milwaukee. He had a $7 million salary
want to make this team a Associated Press this year and gets a $3 mil-
little better and get to the lion buyout for declining his
postseason. The most ad- plug the Reds’ hole at sec- He has 42 games of playoff the way. $10 million option.
dictive thing is postseason ond base, which opened experience with the Royals Moustakas’ playoff experi- He’s made $18.7 million on
baseball.” when Scooter Gennett got from 2014-15 and the Brew- ence was attractive to Cin- a pair of one-year deals
Moustakas becomes the hurt and then was traded ers the last two seasons, cinnati. the last two seasons.q
second-highest paid player at midseason. which was attractive to a
on the roster behind Joey “He brings out the best in all Reds team trying to get Pair of South Korean players
Votto, who makes $25 mil- around him,” said Dick Wil- back to the postseason.
lion each of the next four liams, president of baseball The Reds haven’t been made available to MLB teams
seasons. Moustakas gets operations. “We set off this to the playoffs since 2012,
$12 million next year, $14 offseason thinking about when they won 90 games NEW YORK (AP) — NEW YORK — Two 31-year-old players
million in 2021, $16 million ways to upgrade our of- and lost to the Pirates in the from the South Korean League have been posted by
in 2022 and $18 million in fense, and I think having NL wild-card game. Cincin- their clubs and made available to major league teams.
2023. Cincinnati has a $20 Mike swing the bat in the nati then launched into a Negotiations may start Friday with left-hander Kwang-
million option for 2024 with lineup somewhere is going rebuild, trading away stars Hyun Kim of the SK Wyverns and outfielder Jae-Hwan Kim
a $4 million buyout. to really shake things up.” for prospects. of the Doosan Bears, the commissioner’s said Thursday. A
Moustakas has a $250,000 Cincinnati scored the The team lost at least 94 deal must be reached by Jan. 5 at 5 p.m.
bonus for winning an MVP fourth-fewest runs in the NL games annually from 2015- Kwang-Hyun Kim was 17-6 with a 2.51 ERA in 30 starts and
award, $200,000 for finish- last season despite one of 18. one relief appearance last season. He has 136-77 record
ing second and $150,000 the league’s most hitter- The Reds decided to try with a 3.27 ERA in 12 seasons with the Wyverns.
for third. He would receive friendly ballparks. to become competitive Jae-Hwan Kim hit .283 with 15 homers and 92 RBIs, down
$100,000 for winning a Gold Bulking up on offense is their again last season and ac- from career bests of 44 homers and 133 RBIs in 2018. He
Glove, and $75,000 apiece top priority in the offseason. quired Yasiel Puig, Matt has a .307 average with 144 homers and 507 RBIs in nine
for becoming an All-Star or “Mike is a proven perform- Kemp, Alex Wood, Tanner years with the Bears.
winning a Silver Slugger. er on winning teams, and Roark and Sonny Gray, An MLB team would pay a South Korean club a fee of
He will donate 1% of his we are excited to add his who became an All-Star. 20% of guaranteed money in a major league contract
base salary to the Reds’ power and experience to Puig, Kemp and Roark through $25 million, plus 17.5% above that through $50
charity. our roster,” Reds owner Bob were dealt during the sea- million, plus 15% over that. A supplemental fee would
The Reds have become ac- Castellini said. son. Cincinnati finally es- equal 15% of any earned bonuses, escalators and
tive in free agency the last Moustakas hit .254 with 35 caped last place, finishing compensation from option years that are exercised or
two years, trying to escape homers and 87 RBIs last ahead of Pittsburgh with a become guaranteed.q