PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Lucas Duda could receive a four-year deal worth roughly $31 million if his representative and the New York Mets agree to an extension in the next week.
A major league executive identified multiple contracts signed in recent years that could be used to form the structure of a potential deal. Those include deals for Allen Craig, Alex Gordon and Billy Butler.
Duda avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.2 million deal earlier this winter. He has two more arbitration years remaining before being eligible for free agency after the 2017 season.
The deals with Craig, Gordon and Butler all covered at least one year of free agency, with an option year covering a second season of free agency.
The average salaries of the Craig, Gordon and Butler contracts in equivalent years:
Three seasons from free agency: $3.9 million
Two seasons from free agency: $7.5 million
One season from free agency: $9.0 million
First season of free-agency eligibility: $10.5 million
Second season of free-agency eligibility (option year): $12.7 million
So the average value of the equivalent four years for the other players' contracts is roughly $31 million, with an option year at nearly $13 million. Any Duda deal would supersede, or at least incorporate, the $4.2 million Duda already is owed this season.
The Mets would be unlikely to commit to any deal that did not extend at least four years, which would mean covering at least one year of free agency.
Duda's agent has said the sides would table any discussions if an extension is not reached by Opening Day.
