By Austin Medina
Former Orioles centerfielder Adam Jones is moving on to Japan.
Adam Jones’ deal with Orix, per sources: Two years, $8M, with club option for ‘22. Chance to make additional $2M in incentives. Max-out number is $15.5M if Orix exercises option and Jones reaches all his incentives. Jones, 34, did not sign with #DBacks until March 11 last season. https://t.co/DRxYtUdAV3
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal)
December 11, 2019 According to Ken Rosenthal, the Buffaloes have the option to extend Jones for a third season and the contract has the potential to be worth $15.5 million.
Jones announced on Instagram Tuesday that he will sign a two-year deal with the Orix Buffaloes.
Well it’s that time in my career and life my family and I had to make a HUGE decision, and so that is what we have done!!! MLB has been amazing to myself and my family. We had an incredible run from the day I signed in 2003 to my final AB last year. It’s been the greatest 12 years and 139 days a person could ask for! The game has provided me an incredible living and has borne many fruits and hardware throughout the years . A lot to be proud of, that’s for sure . It’s now time to move on to my next chapter in life and say farewell to MLB and hello to NPB. That’s right, there is a team over in Japan (Orix Buffalos) that views me as a valuable piece to help bring their organization back on track and I’m up for the challenge!! They have expressed to my family and I that they value everything I bring to the game, and have proven that by offering me a 2 year guaranteed deal with a chance to play a 3rd year and beyond. My family and I are very, very excited about this new chapter in our lives, and rest assured we are going to embrace the shit out of it. I will miss all my peers, colleagues, and most importantly the Fans in the MLB but our paths will cross again I’m sure, in some type of capacity . You all be good and play nice over there especially with the CBA coming to an end. There is enough to go around, just work it out!! I’m out for now. AJ10......P.S. I can’t wait to eat that amazing Kobe beef!!
A post shared by
10 (@simplyaj10) on Dec 10, 2019 at 7:02pm PST
Among several aging players, Jones fell victim to the league’s unease of offering guaranteed contracts. According to Jones’ Instagram post, his contract with Orix is fully guaranteed for two seasons.
During that stretch, he batted .279 and racked up 263 home runs along with 866 RBIs. Aside from his bat, Jones won four Gold Gloves and represented the Orioles in five All-Star games. For his work on the field and in the community, Jones has been beloved by Oriole fans since debuting in 2008.
In his only season in Arizona, Jones batted .260 with 16 home runs, 67 RBIs as well as a dip in his slugging (.414).
Many teams could have signed Jones for not only his production but also his leadership. Now, he'll go overseas to Japan to continue his storied career.
