The St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander Carlos Martinez have agreed to a $51 million, five-year contract extension that buys out his arbitration years and includes two team options, according a person direct knowledge of the deal.
The person spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because terms have not been released.
The contract breaks the record for a pitcher reaching arbitration for the first time. The Indians signed Corey Kluber to a $38.5 million, five-year deal in 2015.
The 25-year-old Martinez made 31 starts a year ago, posting a 3.04 ERA and assuming the role of staff ace. That lowered his career ERA to 3.32 over parts of four seasons in St. Louis.
Pitcher Michael Wacha is the Cardinals’ only remaining unsigned arbitration-eligible player.
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