Let's make a deal: American League contract extension candidates

With roughly 10 percent of the regular season over, Yardbarker Major League Baseball writers are eager to spend other people's money. 

Here are prime candidates for contract extensions for each AL team. (Statistics are through Sunday, April 13.)

AL East

BALTIMORE ORIOLES | All of their young position players | This isn’t a joke: The Orioles should be thinking about extending all of their core positional players, but especially catcher Adley Rutschman and shortstop Gunnar Henderson. It’s puzzling why they haven’t approached either player about an extension yet, considering owner David Rubenstein is worth billions of dollars.

BOSTON RED SOX | Outfielder Wilyer Abreu | The Red Sox already handed ace left-hander Garrett Crochet a $170M extension and second baseman/outfielder Kristian Campbell $60M over eight years, so what’s one more extension? Abreu seems to be budding into a star, and the time is now to extend him long term.

NEW YORK YANKEES | Catcher Austin Wells | Wells has cemented himself as the team's catcher and produced at the plate so far this season (.712 OPS and two home runs). The 25-year-old hasn't reached arbitration, so now would be the time to strike before his price tag (rightly) skyrockets.

TAMPA BAY RAYS | Third baseman Junior Caminero | The Rays messed up in handing former shortstop Wander Franco an 11-year, $182M extension. However, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try with Caminero, the next young infielder to take Tampa by storm and whose hitting skills are beloved by scouts.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS | Shortstop Bo Bichette | Like the Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays are looking inward after signing All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, $500M extension. Therefore, it seems logical that fellow All-Star Bichette, 27, who is just one year older than Guerrero Jr., would be an extension candidate. — Seth Carlson

AL West

ATHLETICS | Closer Mason Miller | Miller has dominated since stepping in as closer, posting a 2.31 ERA and a 0.871 WHiP with 113 strikeouts in 70 innings since the start of the 2024 season. Although the A’s have yet to approach Miller about an extension, he is open to talks and willing to sign a long-term deal.

HOUSTON ASTROS | Pitcher Hunter Brown | Brown finally started living up to his potential over the final four months of the 2024 season, posting a 2.31 ERA and a 1.119 WHiP over 120.2 innings, 126 strikeouts and 36 walks. Long-term extensions for pitchers are risky, but Brown appears to be an emerging star, making him well worth the risk.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS | Reliever Ben Joyce | The flamethrowing Joyce is regarded as the closer of the future. He has been clear about his desire to sign a long-term deal, making him an ideal target as the Angels look to lock in their young core.

SEATTLE MARINERS | Pitcher Logan Gilbert | The Mariners have signed outfielder Julio Rodriguez and catcher Cal Raleigh to long-term extensions. A first-time All-Star in 2024, Gilbert has two years of arbitration left and is likely to see his salary drastically increase, so an extension would give the Mariners cost certainty while locking in a solid pitcher entering his prime.

TEXAS RANGERS | Outfielder Wyatt Langford | A consensus top-10 prospect entering the 2024 season, Langford did not disappoint during his rookie season. His well-rounded game and impressive command of the strike zone make the 23-year-old the perfect player to lock in to an extension as soon as possible. — David Hill

AL Central  

CHICAGO WHITE SOX | Infielder Chase Meidroth | Meidroth, who has impressive contact and on-base skills, was an overlooked part of the Garrett Crochet trade. The White Sox must find pieces for their future core, so extending Meidroth would be a perfect first step. 

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS | Infielder Travis Bazzana | Bazzana hasn't made his big-league debut, but he is expected to be a key part of the future core. Players such as Milwaukee outfielder Jackson Chourio have signed long-term deals before appearing in the majors; extending Bazzana now would make sense for a Cleveland ballclub that operates under constant budgetary limits.

DETROIT TIGERS | Pitcher Tarik Skubal | Skubal had a breakout 2024 season, winning the American League pitching Triple Crown with a 2.39 ERA and a 0.922 WHiP over his 192 innings, striking out 228 batters and winning 18 games. The Tigers are reportedly open to signing Skubal to an extension, making the reigning AL Cy Young winner a perfect candidate.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS | Pitcher Seth Lugo | A 35-year-old pitcher with just two full seasons as a starter may be an odd extension candidate, but Lugo has begun to establish himself as a solid middle-of-the-rotation arm. He holds a $15M player option for 2026, but the Royals could look to lock Lugo into a short-term extension to solidify the rotation.

MINNESOTA TWINS | Pitcher Joe Ryan | Ryan has emerged as a solid middle-of-the-rotation arm for the Twins, posting a 3.60 ERA and a 0.985 WHiP over 135 innings in his breakout 2024 campaign. He provides a solid 1-2 punch with Pablo Lopez atop the rotation and could be a key contributor for the Twins. — David Hill