DENVER — All-Star shortstop Trevor Story and the Colorado Rockies have agreed to a $27.5 million, two-year contract that avoids an arbitration hearing, according to a person familiar with the deal.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday night because the agreement was pending a physical and had not been announced.
Story can become a free agent following the 2021 World Series. When players and teams exchanged proposed 2020 salaries in salary arbitration two weeks ago, he asked for $11.5 million and Colorado offered him $10.75 million.
A slick fielder and power hitter, the 27-year-old Story had 35 home runs and 23 stolen bases last season – making him the second shortstop in major league history with multiple 30-20 seasons. Alex Rodriguez is the other.
Story also set career highs in runs (111), batting average (.294) and on-base percentage (.363).
A first-round draft pick in 2011, Story is a career .276 hitter since making his debut in April 2016. He is coming off his fourth consecutive season with at least 20 homers. He’s the first shortstop in big league history to begin his career with four straight 20-homer seasons.
Story won his second Silver Slugger Award last year. He’s the 10th Colorado player to win that award multiple times.
The Rockies are coming off a dreary 71-91 campaign after making the playoffs two years in a row. They’ve been quiet all offseason, though they locked up right-handed reliever Scott Oberg, who was eligible for arbitration before reaching a $13 million, three-year deal with the Rockies last month.
Catcher Tony Wolters could be headed toward an arbitration hearing next month after requesting a raise from $960,000 to $2,475,000. The Rockies offered $1.9 million.
The club agreed to one-year deals with four other players who were eligible for arbitration. Right-hander Jon Gray received a raise from $2,925,000 to $5.6 million, left-hander Kyle Freeland from $565,000 to $2,875,000, outfielder David Dahl from $584,288 to $2,425,000, and reliever Carlos Estevez from $565,000 to $1.08 million.
TWINS: Former first baseman Justin Morneau has been elected to the club’s Hall of Fame.
Morneau will be inducted during a ceremony at Target Field before the May 23 game against the Chicago White Sox.
Morneau played 14 seasons in the major leagues, including 11 with the Twins from 2003 to 2013. He finished his Twins career with a .278 batting average, 289 doubles, 16 triples and 221 home runs. He also had 860 RBI, 669 runs scored and 501 walks in 1,278 games.
Morneau was the 2006 American League Most Valuable Player and was named to four-straight All-Star teams from 2007-10.
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