The Toronto Blue Jays have extended the contract of their left-handed starter Ricky Romero with a 5 year, $30.1M deal.
The deal starts next-year, and runs through 2015 with an option for 2016. It takes Romero through his arbitration years, and buys out the first year of his potential free agency.
Like Matusz, Romero is a former 1st round pick (2005) that is in his 2nd-year in the Majors. Romero has had more initial success than Matusz, but is also a couple of years older. Romero also had 5 seasons, and 430 innings in the Minors. (Matusz not quite 1 full season, and 113 innings in the Minors.)
Matusz has to accrue 6 years of Major League service-time before he is eligible for Free Agency.
I have not yet determined how last-season is counted towards Matusz’s accrued service-time. At the earliest, Matusz would be a Free Agent after the 2014 season. Possibly he would not be a Free Agent until after the 2015 season.
If his Free Agency starts after ’14, I would think there would be value in the O’s following the map established with Romero’s contract. You could get a 5 year deal done, that would provide the Orioles with cost certainty, and buy Matusz’s first-season of Free Agency. If Matusz is not a FA until after ’15, maybe this is something you revisit this next-year.
Owner
Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.