57.18 Blazers Extend Leyva

[Bob Breum]

Team officials announced today that they had agreed to the terms of a one year extension for center fielder José 'Heartthrob' Leyva. He is being paid $1,360,000 this season, and will receive $1,500,000 next season. As of this point in time, Leyva is the only center fielder on the 40-man roster who is under contract for next season.

José Leyva
The 38-year-old Leyva arrived in a trade with Calgary in early April as insurance in case one of Montreal's two center fielders went down. The deal appeared to be prophetic, as starting center fielder Jorge Rincón was hurt only days later. Leyva seamlessly replaced Rincón in the Blazers' center field platoon, hitting .266/.337/.475 for an OPS+ of 124 in 175 plate appearances so far this season, while providing respectable defense in the vast center field at Ubisoft Field.

Rincón, who was out of options, was eventually waived and later released by the Blazers. Unconfirmed reports are that he is angry about losing his job while injured, and that he has rebuffed overtures from the team to return.