Former Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers All-Star slugger Prince Fielder retired from baseball four years ago.
And yet, he might end up being the league's highest-paid ball player for the 2020 season.
As pointed out by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Fielder will make $24 million in 2020, his final season under contract with the Texas Rangers:
"Prince Fielder, owed $24 million in the final year of his contract with the Rangers, is to receive his full termination pay under terms of the March agreement between the owners and players regarding a shortened or canceled 2020 season.
The amount Fielder receives might decrease if the parties reach a subsequent deal to reduce the pay of players who were released before the COVID-19 pandemic, but such an adjustment is unlikely, sources say. The players are no longer on 40-man rosters, and the sport’s collective-bargaining agreement seemingly protects the guarantees in their contracts."
Rosenthal also noted that Wei-Yin Chen is owed $22 million by the Miami Marlins, who released him after the 2019 season. Zack Cozart was traded to the San Francisco Giants this past offseason, but he was released a month later. The Giants owe him $12.167 million, per Rosenthal.
Chen and Cozart "might receive their full salaries barring a change in terms." per Rosenthal.
In 2012, Fielder signed a giant nine-year contract worth $214 million with the Detroit Tigers. He led them to the 2012 World Series (swept by the Giants) and 2013 ALCS, but the front office decided to dump his expensive contract to the Rangers.
Late in the 2016 season, Fielder announced his retirement because of a neck injury. The Rangers officially released him in Oct. 2017.
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The 2020 MLB season was scheduled to begin on March 26, but it was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the MLB and MLBPA continue to work towards possible solutions, the two sides also have to figure out how player salaries would work for a reduced 2020 season.
Per Spotrac.com, New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout will each make $36 million in base salary for 2020, the highest in baseball, followed by Colorado Rockies All-Star Nolan Arenado and Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg at $35 million. Rosenthal noted that Cole would make just over $18 million in a proposed 82-game campaign.
The league is currently looking at a plan that would see the season begin in July. There have been proposed realignment plans, including an idea that would see the league move to three divisions of 10 for only the 2020 season.
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