The American League champion Tampa Bay Rays agreed on a one-year deal to bring back veteran catcher Mike Zunino, the Tampa Bay Times reported Wednesday.
Zunino, 29, had a one-year, $4.5 million contract option declined by the Rays shortly after the completion of the World Series.
The new deal is worth $3 million guaranteed, MLB Network reported, with a $2 million salary for 2021 and a $1 million buyout on a 2022 club option. The club option could be worth $4 million-$7 million based on incentives.
Valued more for his defense, Zunino batted .147 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in 28 regular-season games in 2020 but helped the Tampa Bay pitching staff to a 3.56 ERA, second best in the American League. He then batted .170 in the postseason, starting all six games in the World Series.
The Rays fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a neutral-site World Series at Arlington, Texas.
Zunino is a career .200 hitter with 108 home runs and 283 RBIs in eight seasons with the Mariners (2013-18) and Rays (2019-20).
(Field Level Media)
