Eric Hosmer has agreed to a new deal with Kansas City. (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)
The Kansas City Royals won’t be going to arbitration with first baseman Eric Hosmer after reaching agreement on a two-year, $13.9 million contract Wednesday.
The deal includes a $5.65 million salary in 2015 and $8.25 million in 2016, the second and third years of Hosmer’s arbitration eligibility.
Hosmer, a two-time Gold Glove winner, had traveled to Tampa, Fla., on Wednesday from the Royals’ spring training base for an arbitration hearing before the deal was struck. He will be arbitration eligible again in 2017.
Hosmer was seeking $6.7 million and the Royals offered $4.6 million when arbitration figures were exchanged in January. He made $3.6 million in 2014.
The 25-year-old Hosmer had a career-low nine home runs and 58 RBIs while batting .270 last year. He missed a month of the season with a broken hand.
But in October during the postseason, Hosmer rebounded for 20 hits and 12 RBIs in 15 games during the Royals’ run to the World Series.
