Cleveland Guardians Discussing Extension With Infielder

After two remarkably consistent seasons, the Cleveland Guardians are ready to sign up with their shortstop for the long haul. According to reports on Sunday, the Guardians are discussing an extension with Amed Rosario.

Amed Rosario says the Guardians reached out to his agent about a contract extension, but he doesn’t have a strong inclination as to whether anything will get done. He says his cryptic tweets are unrelated, he likes it in Cleveland and doesn’t consider Opening Day a hard deadline.

— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) March 26, 2023

Rosario himself told reporters that the Guardians' front office reached out to his representatives in the past few days to discuss an extension. But the shortstop himself isn't getting involved for now.

“They’re the ones talking,” Rosario said. “I’m going to keep focusing on doing my job and they’re going to keep talking.” However, he certainly made it clear that he'd be very open to staying in Cleveland for the foreseeable future. 

“It’s a place that I really enjoy,” Rosario said. “I feel like anybody who’s able to play here will see that this is a good place to stay and play long term.”

Rosario can become a free agent after the season, as he plays out his expiring $7.8M contract this year. He could be in a position to head up a much weaker shortstop free agent class than in years past. 

The 27-year-old was once a top-10 prospect in the sport, and although he hasn't lived up to that billing, he has been the model of consistency for the Guardians. In his two seasons in Cleveland, he's batted .282 and .283, with 11 HR in each season, while stealing 13, then 18 bases, and posting OPS marks of .731 and .715. 

With a stockpile of young middle infield prospects in the system, it'll be interesting to see how the Guardians play this out.

Photo: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports