PHOENIX (AP) The Arizona Diamondbacks have finalized a $22 million, three-year contract with outfielder David Peralta that runs through 2022.
The 2019 Gold Glove Award winner in left field avoided his final year of salary arbitration by agreeing to the deal announced Monday. He will make $7 million during the upcoming season and $7.5 million in 2021 and 2022.
The 32-year-old has been a regular in the Diamondbacks outfield and in the middle of the batting order over the past few seasons. He played in 99 games last year, batting .275 with 12 homers despite battling a shoulder injury that bothered him for much of the year and eventually required season-ending surgery. He hit a career-high 30 homers in 2018.
Arizona general manager Mike Hazen said Peralta’s drive to improve – both offensively and defensively – is a big reason the D-backs felt comfortable signing him to a multi-year deal despite last season’s injury issues.
”He can run, he’s a good athlete, and can impact the ball both for average and power, so that’s the starting point,” Hazen said. ”The work he does against righties is really, really good and that’s a skill because the majority of the pitchers in the league are right-handed.”
Peralta should be the starter in left field this season while recently signed Kole Calhoun will likely be in right. Hazen has said he’s still exploring options for center field, though Ketel Marte could man that role on a full-time basis after splitting time between center field, second base and shortstop last season.
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