Carlos Martinez

Cardinals sign Carlos Martinez to $51-million extension

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez signed a five-year, $51-million contract extension with club options for 2022 and 2023.

What It Means:

The deal was the largest contract for a first-year arbitration-eligible player as Martinez will earn $4.5 million in 2017, and then receive $11.5 million a year from 2018-21. The 25-year-old pitcher already has an All-Star appearance (2015) on his résumé, as well as back-to-back 30-win campaigns over the last two years. He will be an anchor in the Cardinals rotation for years to come.

Martinez saw his WHIP drop to 1.22 in 2016 even as his innings increased to a career-high 195.1. He posted a 8.0 strikeout per nine rate with a 3.04 ERA in 31 starts.