Phillies to defer $9.5M of $28M in Gregorius’ 2-year deal

<p>NEW YORK &mdash; The Philadelphia Phillies will defer $9.5 million of the $28 million owed to Didi Gregorius under the shortstop’s $28 million, two-year contract.</p>
<p>Gregorius receives a $1.5 million signing bonus under the deal announced Wednesday, payable in $500,000 installments on each Feb. 1 from 2024-26, according to details obtained by The Associated Press.</p>
<p>He has a $12 million salary this season, of which $7 million is deferred, and a $14.5 million salary in 2022, of which $1 million is deferred. </p>
<p>Philadelphia will pay the deferred salary in $2 million installments each Feb. 1 from 2023-26.</p>
<p>Gregorius, who turns 31 next week, batted .284 with 10 homers, 40 RBIs and an .827 OPS in 60 games in his first season with the Phillies. </p>
<p>He had a $14 million, one-year contract, which became $5,814,815 in prorated pay.</p>
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