The Angels have agreed to extend shortstop Erick Aybar, reports MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez. Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times and ESPN's Jerry Crasnick report that it's a four-year contract worth $35MM (Twitter link). The team could announce its deal with the SFX client by tomorrow.
Howie Kendrick’s four-year, $33.5MM extension was apparently used as framework for Aybar's deal, though the shorstop was reportedly seeking at least five years and $50MM. As our Extension Tracker shows, Aybar joins Troy Tulowitzki and Alexei Ramirez as the only shortstops to sign extensions worth $30MM or more in recent years.
Aybar, 28, has been the Halos' regular shortstop since the start of the 2008 season. He's hit .278/.322/.386 during that time, doing his best work in 2009 (.312/.353/.423) and 2011 (.279/.322/.421). Aybar reached both the 30 stolen base and ten home run plateaus for the first time in his career last season. He took home a Gold Glove Award last year and ranks eighth among all shortstops with a +2.6 UZR/150 since the start of 2010.