Yasmani Tomas adds another power bat to the Arizona lineup.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are the winners for the latest Cuban import, Yasmany Tomas. With the success of Chicago White Sox rookie Jose Abreu, many teams were in on Tomas, but the Diamondbacks came out on top with a reported six year, $68.5MM deal.
Arizona finished 11th out of 15 National League teams last year in runs scored (615), so the addition of the power hitting Tomas to a lineup that includes Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo, will be more than welcome.
There is reportedly an opt out clause included, which would enable Tomas to become a free agent after four years. The 24-year old corner outfielder played parts of seven seasons with Havana Industriales.
With international dollars now limited by Major League baseball, the deal basically matches the one Abreu signed with White Sox last offseason. Another Cuban expatriate, Rusney Castillo, signed with the Boston Red Sox this past August for seven years and $72.5MM, He’s slated to be Boston’s starting centerfielder in 2015.
The player that has been focused on the most is, of course, the LA Dodgers Yasiel Puig. The Cuban-born outfielder finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2013 after having signed a seven year, $42MM deal.
All of the deals are longer and for more total money than the contract of Castillo’s teammate, Yoenis Cespedes, signed with Oakland in 2012. Cespedes, dealt at last season’s trade deadline for Boston’s Jon Lester, is in the final year of a four year, $36MM deal. There have been rumors that Cespedes may be dealt during the offseason or in mid-season if the team can’t get him to sign an extension.