It was a busy day in Arizona Tuesday as the Texas Rangers signed a key player to a contract extension and another player says let’s not talk about me.
Catcher Robinson Chirinos and the Texas Rangers are relieved to enter the regular season with a new contract.
Chirinos signed an extension through the 2018 season with a team option for 2019.
“I feel like I belong here and I hope I’m going to be here the next three years and hopefully a long time after that. I love everything about this team and I’m proud to say I’m a Texas Ranger,” Chirinos said.
General Manager Jon Daniels is excited about the skilled backup.
“I’ve long said he’s an underrated player and if you talked to anybody in the clubhouse, his leadership, the example he sets, his work ethic and excellence on and off the field are known throughout that clubhouse.”
Daniels says the Rangers need two championship catchers and they have them in Chirinos and Jonathan Lucroy. Chirinos is content with his role behind the two-time all-star.
“As a catcher I know you are only a foul tip away from being the everyday catcher. It happened to me the last two years and I hope he can stay here and help this team to win a championship,” Chirinos said.
Also, Adrian Beltre is back in camp after representing the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. The talk is already underway about Beltre needing just 58 hits to reach 3,000 for his career.
“I don’t want this to be a distraction for my teammates. The ultimate goal here as a team is to get to the playoffs and win the World Series. I don’t want questions everyday about personal stuff,” Beltre said.
