Monday, March 19, 2018 | 8:09 a.m.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — AL MVP Jose Altuve and the World Series champion Houston Astros have finalized a $163.5 million, seven-year contract that guarantees an additional $151 million over five seasons.
The 27--year-old second baseman had been among baseball's best bargains. He agreed in 2013 to a deal that originally guaranteed $12.5 million from 2014-17 and included club options for 2018 at $6 million and 2019 at $6.5 million.
His new deal, announced Monday, keeps those salaries and adds a $21 million signing bonus, of which $1 million is payable upon the deal's approval by the commissioner's office and $10 million each on July 1 in 2018 and 2019. He gets annual salaries of $26.2 million from 2020-24.
Altuve would have been eligible for free agency after the 2019 season.
The 5-foot-6 Altuve hit .346 last season to win his second straight AL batting title and third in four seasons. He had 24 homers, 82 RBIs and 32 stolen bases.
