The Cleveland Guardians signed their superstar infielder Jose Ramirez to a massive contract extension this offseason, but they might not be done there.
Cleveland isn’t the kind of team that can afford to sign the big names in free agency. As a result, it has to build its team through the farm system, which is why it’s crucial to sign top prospects to contract extensions before they can get to free agency.
Just Baseball’s Shaan Donohue predicted the Guardians would sign their ace, Gavin Williams, to a huge six-year, $90 million contract extension over the coming months.
“Pitcher extensions are notoriously risky, but not all risk is equal. The key is how the contract handles downside, not whether downside exists,” Donohue wrote. “Gavin Williams has the kind of front-line arsenal teams are willing to build around: two elite breaking balls that suppress quality of contact, a mid-to-upper-90s fastball with extreme extension from a low release slot, and the physical frame to carry innings.”
Williams is the kind of pitcher that the Guardians could build their rotation around for the next few years. They could certainly afford to pay him less than $20 million per season for each of the next six years if that means he’ll continue to produce ace-level results at the big league level.
While his FIP was over a run higher than his ERA last season, the Guardians shouldn’t be too concerned about it. Williams has the potential to be a star ace, and the Guardians should be willing to bet on that by giving him a new contract.
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