Pirates, Harrison, agree to new deal
By: Kevin Wheeler
The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced that the club, and leadoff man Josh Harrison have agreed to a new four-year contract.
The deal will pay the former All-Star $27.3 million, and has the potential to keep the 27-year-old under contract until 2020.
This season Harrison will still make the 2.8 million he and the Pirates agreed upon earlier in the offseason. Next year Harrison will make $5 million, before making $7.5 million and $10 million dollars in 2017 and 2018.
The contract includes a one million dollar signing bonus, and includes two team option years for 2019 and 2020.
The options, if picked up, will pay Harrison $10.5 million (’19) and $11.5 million (’20) respectively. If the team wants to terminate the contract before the option years, the 2019 option carries a buyout of $1 million dollars, while the 2020 option carriers a buyout of $500,000.
Harrison had a breakout season for the Pirates last season. After starting the year as a super reserve, due to injuries to Pedro Alvarez and other players, he earned a starting spot by the end of the season.
The Pirates acquired Harrison back in 2009 from the Chicago Cubs. Last season Harrison hit .315 with 13 homeruns and 53 runs batted in. In addition to leading the club in average, Harrison hit a team high seven triples. Harrison was selected to the 2014 All-Star team as a reserve, and was a big reason the team made the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
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