The Indians and Ryan Raburn agreed to a two year extension with a team option for 2016, per the Indians official Twitter account.
Per Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer, Raburn will make $2.25 million in 2014; $2.5 million in 2015, and will have a $3 million club option with $100,000 buyout for 2016.
Raburn has been the most efficient hitter on the team thus far this season. In 66 games, Raburn has .277/.370/.565 and has hit 13 home runs in only 184 at-bats. Only Pedro Alvarez, Miguel Cabrera, and Chris Davis have a lower HR/AB rate than Ryan Raburn does as of August 7th. Of all Indians, Raburn is tied for second in on-base percentage and leads the team in slugging percentage. Raburn also has been spectacular against lefties this season, holding a 1.029 OPS.
This contract is a great value for the Indians, as they were able to lock up Raburn for below market value. To put things in perspective, the Angels signed Maicer Izturis (a utility infielder who has been playing more than he has been ever in his career) to a three year, $10 million contract with a club option for a fourth year. Izturis is hitting has an .606 OPS this season.
Raburn is as solid as they come as either a platoon player or as the Indians’ best bench player. Raburn had been productive from 2009-2011 with the Tigers, but things fell apart due to injury and infrequent playing time in 2012. Signing Raburn this offseason was a shrewd move by the Indians front office. From the get-go the Raburn acquisition looked like a great arbitrage signing, and the dividends are surely paying off now.
Keep the signings coming…
Good move in that the Tribe has nothing coming in the way of outfielders anytime soon and Bourn,Brantley, Stubbs and Raburn for the next two seasons at a more than reasonable cost isn’t too bad.
This signing means Reynolds is probably gone after this season unless he re-ups cheap.
Great move. The key to Raburn is using him regularly without overusing him and Francona has done well with that. We have no power in our outfield at all and none on the way in the minors, so keeping Raburn’s good bat is a big deal. He also wants to be here and is a good guy, and the deal is team-friendly to boot. I don’t know about Stubbs. He had a “bad year” for Cincinnati with 15 HR and 30 SB, and he’s off that pace this year by far with the same low BA and high strikeout rate. Offering him 2nd time arbitration means $5 million we don’t have to offer Kipnis or Masterson. We didn’t have Bourn when we traded for Stubbs, but with Bourn signed for four years now I’d have to think Stubbs will be traded or non-tendered. I love his speed and defense but you need to hit to play RF in the AL.
Exactly – this lineup can’t afford a good-field, no-hit right fielder. If Raburn is your 4th outfielder, an upgrade at RF is needed.
This should be an interesting offseason.
I see they just DFA’d Mark Reynolds today, too.