According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Oakland Athletics and catcher Kurt Suzuki have agreed to a four-year contract extension.

The deal is for $16.25 million guaranteed, and it could reach $25-26 million if option for 2014 vests. The option will vest with games played (Suzuki must play just under 120 games for contract to vest) in 2013.

It had been rumored that the Boston Red Sox were interested in Suzuki, and may have pursued him in the off season.

Suzuki was eligible for arbitration for the first time after this season, so his new contract buys out his remaining years of arbitration eligibility, and it goes into his free agent years. Based on initial figures, his deal is better than Colorado Rockies Chris Iannetta’s three-year, $8.35 million contract. Ianetta signed his deal earlier this year.

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5. Colorado Rockies sign Chris Iannetta to 3 year $8.35 million contract