A small-market team with an outdated stadium and a non-existent fanbase, the overachieving Rays have forged their entire identity by doing more with less, taking the A’s “Moneyball” approach to its logical conclusion by squeezing every last drop out of their limited resources. And though the ultimate goal—a World Series title—has so far eluded them, the Rays, by leaving no stone unturned, have gained a reputation as one of the smarter-run franchises in baseball, annually fielding competitive teams on a shoestring budget.
But when you have a talent as prolific as Wander Franco, all that goes out the window. In a move many would consider out of character, Tampa Bay made Franco the richest player in franchise history Tuesday, defying their penny-pinching MO by signing him to an 11-year, $182-million extension that will keep him under the Rays’ umbrella through his age-32 season.
Not only did Franco obliterate the previous club record held by Evan Longoria ($100 million over six seasons), but the Rays’ $182-million show of faith now stands as the largest investment ever on a player under 21. Ronald Acuna’s $100-million pact with Atlanta had been the previous high-water mark for a player with less than a year of big-league service time. Including a club option for 2033, the shortstop’s contract carries a total value of $223 million.
As jarring as it was to see the cost-conscious Rays pull out their checkbook after decades of spending as little as possible, Franco’s deal could end up being a bargain. With Francisco Lindor now making $34 million annually for the Mets, a figure that could soon be topped by fellow shortstops Carlos Correa and Corey Seager (both are free agents), Franco’s $16.5-million salary, in comparison, looks decidedly team-friendly. And while handing out a contract of that length to a player just 70 games into his career will raise its share of eyebrows, if Franco lives up to his monster potential, this could go down as an all-time heist.
It’s much too early to make that determination, though Franco’s early returns have been encouraging, finishing third in this year’s American Rookie of the Year voting on the strength of a .288/.347/.463 batting line with seven homers and 37 RBI over 281 at-bats this season. The 20-year-old Dominican impressed in the playoffs as well, going 7-for-19 (.368) with two round-trippers in the Rays’ opening-round loss to Boston.
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