Kansas City Royals fans enjoyed a true Jeff Passan surprise to start their week.
The MLB insider broke the news of the mammoth contract extension agreed between the team and its brightest star: shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
It’s a complex deal that, in principle, is worth $288.8 million over 11 years.
Depending on how things play out, it could be a seven-year, $148 million deal or a 14-year, $377 million pact, too.
It all depends on Witt and the club.
For now, before explaining the structure of the agreement, let’s just watch Witt’s reaction to the deal on Twitter.
It includes an iconic scene from “The Wolf Of Wall Street,” when Leonardo DiCaprio takes the microphone and starts saying: “I’m not leaving.”
🤝 @Royals pic.twitter.com/eDFEbWMrfx
— Bobby Witt Jr (@BwittJr) February 5, 2024
Royals fans can rest easy, knowing that Witt is not going anywhere anytime soon.
The first seven years are fully guaranteed and will pay Witt $148 million.
Then, Witt will have an opt-out per year for the remainder of the contract: after the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth season.
If he opts into the deal every year, the Royals will have the option to tack on three more campaigns at $89 million.
If that happens, the total value of the contract will be $377 million over 14 years.
Accounting for inflation, this will surely look like a genius move later down the road when Witt is in his prime.
He is just 23 years old and already logged a 30-homer, 49-steal season with excellent shortstop defense.
He is the Royals’ franchise cornerstone, and the team intends to compete for a long time, building its roster around the talented Witt.
NEXT: Fans React To Today's Massive Bobby Witt Jr. News