The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has signed free agent 1B YONDER ALONSO to a two-year Major League contract with a vesting/club option for the 2020 season.
Alonso, 30, is coming off the best season of his career to date, hitting .266 (120-451) with a career-high 28 home runs and 67 RBI in 142 games with the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners in 2017. He also collected single-season career bests in runs (72), RBI, walks (68), on-base pct. (.365), slugging pct. (.501) and OPS (.866). He was selected to the American League All-Star team, finished 12th in the A.L. in on-base pct. and 17th in the league in OPS. The Cuban-born and Miami, FL resident hit 17 homers in the pitcher-friendly confines where he played his home games (Oakland Coliseum, Safeco Field) after entering the season with 39 career home runs.
The University of Miami alum was the seventh overall selection by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2008 draft and was traded to the San Diego Padres in December 2011 after debuting with the Reds in 2010. He owns a career Major League batting average of .268 (685-2554) with 149 doubles, 67 home runs and 306 RBI in 806 games with the Reds, Padres, Athletics and Mariners. He has played 365 of his 396 career home games in Petco Park, Safeco Field and Oakland Coliseum.