Veteran off-field Michael Brantley will return to the Houston Astros after the free agent has agreed a two-year, $ 32 million deal, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.
Brantley, 33, continues to boast of a high contact speed, a low ratio of attack and polishing to the plate. In 46 games with the Astros in 2020, alternating between left field and DH, Brantley hit. 300, with five home runs, 22 RBI and an OPS of .840.
He has scored at least .300 in five seasons since 2014, tied with four others during most baseball seasons in that time period. He has also eliminated just 10.1% of his appearances on the podium since 2014, the third-best baseball player in that time period, with a minimum of 2,000 appearances on the plate.
Fox 26 in Houston was the first to report that Brantley and the Astros had agreed to the deal.
Brantley also signed a two-year, $ 32 million contract when he joined the Astros before the 2019 season.
Injuries have worried Brantley during his 12-year career at Cleveland and the Astros, in which Brantley has an average of .297, 114 homers, 640 RBI and a .794 OPS. He has been four-time All-Star and in 2014 finished third in the MVP vote.
Earlier, ESPN had reported that Brantley had reached an agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays, who had already reached a six-year, $ 150 million deal with former Astros teammate George Springer, confirmed the sources.