J-Rod’s blockbuster contract with M’s is fittingly unique

By TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Julio Rodríguez hopes the contract extension he signed with Seattle will keep him as a member of the Mariners for the rest of his career. Rodríguez signed the 26th contract in baseball for $200 million or more on Friday, ensuring a long-term future as a cornerstone for the Mariners. It’s a unique and complicated contract that could reach nearly $470 million and is befitting a burgeoning 21-year-old star with the talent and charisma to entice a region desperate for winning baseball. The first conversations happened in early July about whether Rodríguez would be interested in a deal that cemented his future in Seattle. The response from his representatives was that it had to be unique considering the player.