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German Marquez agrees to contract extension with Colorado Rockies

By Connor Grott
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez agreed to a five-year, $43 million contract with the franchise Tuesday. File Photo by Gary C. Caskey/UPI
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez agreed to a five-year, $43 million contract with the franchise Tuesday. File Photo by Gary C. Caskey/UPI | License Photo

April 2 (UPI) -- Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez agreed to a contract extension with the team Tuesday.

Sources told ESPN and the MLB Network that Marquez and the Rockies agreed on a five-year, $43 million deal, pending a physical. The deal also includes a club option that can become a mutual option with two top-three Cy Young finishes. The team hasn't confirmed the deal.

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The new contract covers the 2019 to 2023 seasons, with the option kicking in for the 2024 campaign. The extension is the second-largest guarantee for a pitcher with only two years of MLB service time, trailing only Rays starter Blake Snell, according to ESPN. Snell signed a five-year, $50 million deal in March.

The Rockies originally acquired Marquez in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Corey Dickerson in 2016. The 24-year-old pitcher made major strides since jumping to the Rockies, including a fifth-place finish in the National League Rookie of the Year race in 2017.

Marquez had 230 strikeouts in 196 innings and finished with a 3.77 ERA last season. He picked up the win in his 2019 debut, throwing six innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts against the Miami Marlins.

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Marquez was due to reach arbitration for the first time after the 2019 season and could have become eligible for free agency at the end of the 2022 campaign.

The right-handed pitcher was the second player under the age of 25 to reach a large contract extension Tuesday. Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. agreed to an eight-year, $100 million deal with the Braves.

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