Toronto Blue Jays sign Justin Smoak to two-year contract extension

The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to terms with first-baseman Justin Smoak on a two-year contract extension that will carry through to the end of the 2018 season. The deal also includes a club option for 2019. 


Chris Cotillo is reporting that Smoak’s 2019 option includes “escalators based on plate appearances that could raise its value from $6M to $8M.”

The former top prospect is now 29 years old and earning $3.9 million in his final arbitration year. He was scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the year.

Smoak’s season has been divided into two very different halves. Until mid-May, Smoak was enjoying the early states of a breakout season but has since regressed since the beginning of June. His strikeout rate is at a career high, but his early success and recent struggles can both be linked to outlier BABIPs.

For the season, Smoak is now hitting .234 with an OPS of .735, which is just slightly below what the Blue Jays could have expected from him entering the year. He currently owns an fWAR of 0.1, but represents Toronto’s best option defensively at first base.

With Edwin Encarnacion scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the season where he’ll be due for a large multi-year contract, having Smoak secured for a minimum of two more seasons gives the Blue Jays an option (and a known commodity) should they not be able to retain their Dominican slugger.