Rockies sign longtime outfielder to one-year contract extension

The Rockies announced they’ve signed Charlie Blackmon to a one-year contract extension. The ACES client returns for a 14th season with the club.

Blackmon’s deal may not involve a pay cut. MLBTR’s Steve Adams reports that he’ll receive a $13M guarantee that offers an additional $2M in incentives. Blackmon would receive $500K apiece for tallying 425, 450, 475 and 500 trips to the plate next year.

Blackmon has spent his entire career in Colorado. A second-round pick in 2009, he debuted two years later. By 2014, he’d established himself as a very good everyday center fielder. That season, Blackmon secured his first of four career All-Star nods. His best campaign came in 2017 when he finished fifth in NL MVP balloting and won the NL batting title. Colorado signed him to a $108M extension the following April — including player options running through 2023.

The two-time Silver Slugger winner remained a well above-average hitter through 2019. He still hit above .300 during the shortened 2020 season, albeit with diminished power. Blackmon slumped to a .267/.332/.415 line between 2021-22, raising the possibility that this would be his final year in Denver. He exercised a $15M option for this season and was set to hit the free-agent market for the first time in the coming weeks.

Blackmon rebounded from a couple of down seasons. Still working largely out of the leadoff spot, the 37-year-old has turned in a .283/.370/.451 slash through an even 400 plate appearances entering play Friday. He’s still not hitting for much power, but only Nolan Jones has more consistently gotten on base among Rox’s batters. Blackmon is drawing walks at a personal-best 9.8% clip while striking out just 13.5% of the time. He’s still performing well against pitchers of either handedness.

As one would expect for a player in his late 30s, Blackmon hasn’t provided much on the other side of the ball. The Rox moved him off center field after the 2018 season. Since logging 134 starts in right field two seasons ago, the veteran has seen increasing action at designated hitter. Skipper Bud Black has penciled him into the outfield on just 26 occasions while turning to him at DH 60 times.

Blackmon will presumably continue working as Colorado’s primary DH for another season. Jones has had a strong rookie year to take over left field. Kris Bryant was the primary right fielder early on, although he’s been a first baseman or DH since returning from a finger fracture. Bryant could move back to the outfield next season, which would allow the Rox to keep Blackmon out of the field on most days. If the Rockies keep their $182M signee at first base, they could look to add a corner outfielder in free agency or trade over the winter.

It’s the second late-season extension for Colorado. The club agreed on a two-year, $20M pact with starter Germán Márquez three weeks ago. Márquez underwent Tommy John surgery in May, so that move is primarily about 2025. This deal ensures veteran continuity for a young roster while keeping around a fan favorite who’s still a productive hitter — albeit in more of a rotational role than an everyday capacity. Reliever Brent Suter and depth starters Chris Flexen and Chase Anderson are the club’s remaining free agents.

Colorado had just over $98M in guaranteed commitments for the ’24 campaign before re-signing Blackmon. The extension brings their commitments to around $111M before considering arbitration-eligible players. They opened this year with a player payroll around $172M, as calculated by Cot’s Baseball Contracts, so there should still be a decent amount of breathing room headed into the offseason.

At the same time, it’s a surprisingly strong sum for the Rox to commit. They’ll likely need to add at least three starting pitchers this offseason. Bullpen and/or center field help could be a target as well. Blackmon’s status in franchise history surely played a part in the deal, though it’s still above market expectations for a veteran limited to a part-time DH/corner outfield role.

It’s a bit above the $10M and $12M respectively secured by J.D. Martinez and Michael Brantley last winter. Martinez indicated he took less than was available to join the Dodgers, while Brantley was coming off a season-ending shoulder procedure. Yet both players have been more productive hitters over the last few seasons than Blackmon has been.