KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Outfielder Myles Straw and the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday agreed to a five-year, $25 million deal, a two-year option deal that could be worth $39.5 million over seven seasons.
The deal was the club’s third long-term signing this week.
Straw, acquired by the Houston Astros last July, has made a quick impression for Cleveland at the top of the ranks and midfield. His deal includes club options for 2027 and 2028.
The 27-year-old Straw batted .285 with two homers and 13 steals in his two-month stint with Cleveland last season. But he’s shown more than enough to make the club believe he’s worth a long-term investment.
Straw’s deal includes escalators that have the potential to make him worth $43.5 million over seven seasons. It replaces a one-year contract that called for a major league salary of $719,900.
Straw is another key piece for the Guardians, who on the eve of Opening Day agreed a five-year, $124 million deal with All-Star third baseman José Ramírez and a five-year, $20 million deal with Emmanuel Clase.
Overall, Straw batted .271 in 2021 with four home runs, 86 runs and 30 stolen bases. For the past two months, he has been among the AL leaders in walks, hits, runs and doubles.
He has also developed into one of the best defensive fielders in the league, finishing second in putouts last season and giving manager Terry Francona and the club’s pitchers confidence that Straw will catch him if the ball is hit down the middle.
Straw was chosen by Houston in the 2015 draft. Over five seasons, he has a .266 batting average with 47 steals in 257 games.