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Yankees sign outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to a seven-year contract extending through the 2020 season with a club option for 2021; will be introduced at Yankee Stadium on Friday, December 13

The New York Yankees today announced they have signed outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to a seven-year contract extending through the 2020 season with a club option for 2021.

Ellsbury, 30, owns a .297 (865-for-2,912) career batting average with 476 runs, 155 doubles, 65 home runs, 314RBI and 241 stolen bases in 715 games over seven Major League seasons, all with the Boston Red Sox (2007-13). Since 2008, he ranks third in the Majors with 232 stolen bases, trailing only Michael Bourn (280) and Rajai Davis (245). His .995 career fielding percentage (1,734 total chances, eight errors) is the best such mark among Major League outfielders since 2007.

In 2013, he batted .298 (172-for-577) with 92 runs, 31 doubles, nine home runs and 53RBI in 134 games. He was caught stealing just four times and led the Majors in stolen bases for the second time in his career (also 2009, 70SB) and the American League for the third time (2008, 50SB). In 16 playoff games, he hit .344 (22-for-64), leading all postseason players in hits and runs (14) en route to winning his second career World Series Championship with Boston (also 2007).

The left-handed batter hit .321 (212-for-660) in 2011, setting career highs in games played (158), runs scored (119), doubles (46), home runs (32) and RBI (105) en route to winning the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award and being ranked second in AL Most Valuable Player Voting. He also won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards and was selected to the AL All-Star team.

Ellsbury is a .301 (40-for-133) batter with 26 runs, 11 doubles and 17RBI in 38 career postseason games.

A native of Madras, Ore., and believed to be the first-ever Native American of Navajo decent to appear in a Major League game, Ellsbury was originally selected by Boston in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, with his first game played for the Yankees in 2014, Ellsbury will become the 218th player to appear in a game for both the Yankees (since 1903) and Red Sox (since 1901).

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