San Diego Padres sign Jake Cronenworth to 7-year extension
SAN DIEGO -- Jake Cronenworth has signed a seven-year extension with the San Diego Padresthrough the 2030 season, the team announced Saturday.
The extension, which begins next season and buys out five free agent seasons, is worth $80 million, a source told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Saturday.
Cronenworth, 29, was set to become a free agent after the 2025 season. He will make $4.23 million this year, his first as an arbitration-eligible player.
A natural second baseman who figures to see a lot more time at first base this season, Cronenworth put up 4.1 FanGraphs wins above replacement each of the past two years, during which he totaled 38 home runs.
Cronenworth's strikeout rate increased last season, prompting his slash line to go from .266/.340/.460 in 2021 to .239/.332/.390 in 2022. But the former seventh-round pick remains one of the most valued members of the organization and is slated to eventually bat fifth this season, behind the star-studded foursome of Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts.
The Padres have become known in recent years for their acquisition of star talent, but they have also been intent about locking up their own players in recent months. Cronenworth's deal follows extensions signed by Machado, Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove within the past eight months.
