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Pirates have had early discussions on Walker extension

Bill Brink 9 years ago


Pirates have had preliminary extension talks with second baseman Neil Walker. Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

SAN DIEGO — The Pirates have had recent, introductory discussions with Neil Walker’s camp about a multi-year extension, according to a source.

The discussions were preliminary in nature and nothing is considered close at this time. 

Walker, 29, is in his third year of arbitration, and he has one more year of arbitration eligibility remaining because he previously reached Super 2 status. He had the best offensive season of his career in 2014, hitting 23 home runs with a .342 on-base percentage. He won the National League Silver Slugger award, given to the league’s best offensive player at each position.

Walker made $5.75 million in 2014, his second season of arbitration. That total could climb to $8 million this year and reach double digits in 2016. An extension could provide cost certainty and possibly buy out some years of free agency.

A reasonable comparison for an extension would be Howie Kendrick, who signed a four-year, $33.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels before the 2012 season. Kendrick was 28, one year younger than Walker is, when he signed the deal and had one more year of service time. In the year before Kendrick got the extension, he hit .285 with a .338 on-base percentage and 18 home runs in 140 games, making the All-Star team in the process.

A rival executive said a Walker extension could exceed Kendrick’s deal. 

After playing in 159 games in 2011, Walker has not played in more than 137 in each of the next three seasons. A herniated disc cost him playing time in 2012. An oblique strain sent him to the disabled list in 2013. An emergency appendectomy put him on the DL this past season, but back spasms also kept him out of the lineup in the second half of the year.