Robert Suarez contract: A look at the Padres pitcher's lucrative new deal

The San Diego Padres outdid nearly all the expectations that fans had of them this past season, partly due to pitcher Robert Suarez's performances. The Padres have now rewarded him for his excellent displays last season.

Robert Suarez and the Padres reached an agreement on a new five-year deal on Thursday. Suarez is set to pocket about $46 million over the next five seasons, according to MLB sources. The deal gives Suarez an annual contract value of about $9.2 million. It also features a player opt-out after the first three years.

The Padres play in one of the toughest divisions in baseball, the NL West. Playing alongside traditionally strong teams in the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers, they had failed to make the playoffs even once since 2006 heading into last season.

"The San Diego Padres and Robert Suarez are in agreement on a multi-year deal, per @jonmorosi" - @ FOX Sports: MLB

However, fans were treated to a pleasant surprise in 2022. The team kept a steady pace, and although they finished 22 games behind the Dodgers in their division, they were able to clinch an NL Wild Card berth.

The Padres owe their to their decent pitching unit. The team had a cumulative ERA of 3.81 in the 2022 regular season, making them the 11th-best team out of 30. The team also surrendered 1263 hits, the eighth lowest in the MLB.

Robert Suarez was an important part of the pitching staff for the Padres. Having spent most of his pro career playing overseas in the Japanese Nippon League and the Mexican Pacific League, the Venezuelan joined the Padres during the 2022 season and proved to be major league material.

Pitching out of the Padres bullpen, Suarez made 45 appearances, amassing a record of 5-1 and an ERA of 2.27.

Since Suarez was a rookie, he was eligible for arbitration this off-season. This meant that the onus was on the Padres to come up with a deal that could be mutually accepted by themselves and Suarez. It appears that they've done exactly that.

"Breaking: Robert Suárez and the Padres are in agreement on a 5-year deal worth $46 million, sources say. The contract includes an opt-out after 3 years." - @ Jon Morosi

Robert Suarez could play an important role for the Padres next season

Division Series - San Diego Padres v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Two

Suarez has proven to be an ace in the Padres bullpen. However, the team was not able to get by the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS this past season. Perhaps now that Suarez is sticking around, he will be able to help the Padres obtain the ultimate goal in the near future.