The Tampa Bay Rays exercised a one-year, $7 million option on catcher Mike Zunino, bringing back the nine-year veteran for another season.
A year ago, the Rays declined a $4.5 million option on Zunino but re-signed him to a $2 million deal instead with an option for 2022. That option increased to $7 million on games-played incentives.
Zunino, 30, batted .216 with a career-best 33 home runs in 2021 to go along with 62 RBIs. He also had a career-best .860 OPS in 109 games and was an All-Star for the first time.
In 814 career games with the Seattle Mariners (2013-18) and Rays, Zunino is a .202 hitter with a .689 OPS and has 141 home runs with 345 RBIs.