Astros Ink Catcher Martín Maldonado To Extension

Published|Updated

The Houston Astros are keeping catcher Martín Maldonado around on a one-year extension through 2022 worth $5 million with a $5 million vesting option for 2023.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported the specifics of the deal early on Wednesday, even though the Astros have not made the deal official yet. Houston is off to a tough start this year, going 7-9 and struggling at home with a mark of 1-5.

This season, Maldonado is hitting just .088 in 10 games with no homers or RBI. Last season in 47 games, he hit .215 with six homers and 24 RBI.

Two seasons ago, the Astros made a midseason deal with the Chicago Cubs for Maldonado.

The other catcher on the Houston roster, Jason Castro, who began his career with the Astros, was brought back on a two-year contract prior to this year, which keeps both catchers around through the 2022 campaign.

Maldonado and Castro are one of two active catching tandems. Each has caught at least 400 career games.

Thus far in 2021, Castro is hitting .143 in seven games for the Astros, with two homers and four runs batted in.











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Matt has been a part of the Cleveland Sports landscape working in the media since 1994 when he graduated from broadcasting school. His coverage beats include the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Cavaliers. He's written three books, and won the "2020 AP Sports Stringer Lifetime Service Award."