The San Diego Padres' long pursuit of free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer is over, and it ends with Hosmer in San Diego.
Hosmer has agreed to a deal with the Padres. Hosmer's deal is for eight years for $144 million, with an opt-out clause after five years, according to multiple reports. That would be the highest contract in franchise history.
The 28-year-old Hosmer has a .284 average with 127 home runs and 566 RBIs in 1,048 games in his six-year major league career. Last season, Hosmer batted .318 with 25 home runs.
Prior to signing with the Padres, Hosmer played his entire major league career with the Kansas City Royals. Hosmer keyed the team's run to consecutive World Series, including a championship in 2015.
Hosmer was an All-Star first baseman in 2016 and has won two Gold Glove awards.
The Padres value what Hosmer will bring on and off the field. Teammates have praised Hosmer as a leader in the locker room, and that as much as anything was valued by the Padres organization. Hosmer is bi-lingual, which is another reason he was attractive the Padres, who as an organization have an abundance of young international talent.
