Kinsler Gets 5 Year Extension

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The Texas Rangers announced today that second baseman Ian Kinsler has signed a five-year contract extension that covers 2013 through 2017 with a club option for 2018. Financial terms were not disclosed, per club policy.

Kinsler, 29, has opened the 2012 season by reaching safely via hit or walk in each of the first 5 games, batting .278 (5-18) with 2 home runs, a double, a triple, 4 RBI, and 5 runs scored. He has a career .275 average with 126 home runs, 399 RBI, and 563 runs scored in 778 games.

Over the past three years, the two-time All-Star has twice recorded at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season. He owns two of the three 30/30 campaigns in Rangers history and is one of just three second basemen in baseball history to ever accomplish the feat. Among Rangers second basemen, he is the all-time career leader in nearly every offensive category, including runs, hits, doubles, homers, and runs batted in. He also ranks on the club’s all-time career lists in stolen bases (3rd, 136), runs (8th, 563), extra-base hits (9th, 320), and doubles (10th, 177).

Kinsler’s 81 career home runs from the leadoff spot are more than double any other player in club history. He has led off a game with a home run a team-record 20 times. He is one of only seven players in Rangers history with multiple 30-home run seasons, one of just nine second basemen in major league history to accomplish that feat. Kinsler has been successful in 86 of 99 steal attempts (86.9%) in his big league career, the 3rd-highest percentage among active players.

He has also started each of the club’s 33 playoff games at second base in 2010-11. Kinsler has the highest average (.303) and most walks (22) in Rangers postseason history, and is tied for the most hits (36).

Selected by Texas in the 17th round of the 2003 June draft, Kinsler was the Texas Rangers Tom Grieve Minor League Player of the Year in 2004.