Nov 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler hits a solo home run against the Cleveland Indians in the first inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The St. Louis Cardinals signed former Chicago Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler to a five-year deal Friday.
The Cardinals introduced Fowler at a Friday morning news conference after reports of the agreement surfaced Thursday night.
The deal is worth $82.5 million and includes a full no-trade clause, according to multiple reports.
“This team has a chance to win the #WorldSeries and that was a big part of coming… Winning is addictive,” Fowler tweeted Friday morning after thanking Chicago.
Fowler, who turns 31 in March, posted a career-high .393 on-base percentage while batting leadoff for the Cubs last season. He hit .276/.393/.447 in 2016 with 13 home runs, 48 RBIs and 13 stolen bases while making his first All-Star team.
Fowler helped the Cubs end their 108-year title drought, hitting one homer in the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and two in the World Series against the Cleveland Indians, including one to lead off Game 7 against Cleveland ace Corey Kluber.
Fowler made $13 million in 2016, returning to the Cubs for one year only after exploring the free agent market last winter.
The Cardinals are expected to install Fowler as their leadoff hitter. Last season, Matt Carpenter topped the St. Louis lineup the majority of the time.
“He’s an exciting player, and we’ve seen him from the other dugout enough to realize he’s the kind of player that can make a difference, especially at the top of the order,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Fowler this week. “You watch a Matt Carpenter-style at-bat — going in and grinding and figuring out a way to get on base and figuring out what that does to an opposition, and what it does to a pitching staff, and how it elevates pitch counts, and how it does create a sense of rhythm in your offense. The more players that you can have like that, I think the better off you’re going to be.”
In nine major league seasons encompassing 1,064 games with the Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros and Cubs, the switch-hitting Fowler has a career .268/.366/.422 batting line with 78 homers, 339 RBIs and 127 stolen bases.
Fowler declined the Cubs’ qualifying offer, meaning the Cardinals must forfeit the No. 19 pick in the 2017 draft. The Cubs will receive a compensatory pick.
