Felix deal could go extra year if elbow issue arises

Some fascinating details on Felix Hernandez’s new contract emerged tonight after the Mariners ace put his signature on the deal at a Safeco Field press conference.

The most interesting item, first reported by Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports.com and confirmed by MLB.com, is that the deal actually includes a potential eighth year (in 2020) if Hernandez runs into elbow problems earlier in the contract.

All the fuss about potential elbow problems that arose from his physical last week resulted in the inclusion of a clause that would give the Mariners a $1 million option for that eighth year, should Hernandez spend more than 130 days on the disabled list with a right-elbow problem in any 183-day stretch of Major League days, which essentially is a full season.

In other words, Hernandez would play an extra year — for $1 million — if the elbow indeed becomes a significant issue at any point during the seven-year contract.

That is indeed an interesting way to alleviate concerns and shows again the willingness of both sides to work together to make a deal that makes sense, or at least as much sense as any $175 million contract can make.

Rosenthal also has a specific breakdown of the annual payouts: $19M in base salary for 2013 plus a $6 million signing bonus; $22 million in 2014; $24 million in 2015; $25 million in 2016; $26 million in 2017; $26 million in 2018; and 27 million in 2019.

That deal replaces the final two years of his current contract, which would have paid $20 million this year and $20.5 million in 2013, and extends it another five years. Plus a potential one more year, should something go wrong with his elbow in the interim.