The San Diego Padres have reached a five-year, $46-million contract extension with their reliever Robert Suarez, according to The Athletic. The deal will be done if Suarez passes the physical test.

Suarez only joined MLB in December 2021 after playing six years in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. The Padres signed him on a two year, $11 million contract with a player option for 2023. Having pitched in 47 2/3 innings in the 2022 regular season, he generated an earned run average (ERA) of 2.27 and 61 strikeouts.

Suarez's new contract includes an opt-out after three years. The Athletic believes that keeping him with a deal like this means the Padres are ready to replace Josh Hader with Suarez as the team's finisher and let Hader become a free agent.

It was a very bold move considering that during the last time Suarez threw, he allowed a double home run by Bryce Harper and no out during the eighth inning in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. As a result, the Padres lost the game 4-3 and the series 4-1.

Signing long-term contracts with finishers over 31 years old didn't always end the best for the teams. For example, the Padres inked a four-year, $34 million deal with 31-year-old Drew Pomeranz in 2019, but he tossed no more than 50 innings in the following three seasons.

However, since the New York Mets signed the five-year, $102 million contract with their finisher Edwin Diaz earlier this month, teams have realized that they need make bigger-than-usual offers to keep good finishers.

The Padres are negotiating an extension with left-handed pitcher Nick Martinez after Sean Manaea and Mike Clevinger left as free agents. The team suffered a blow after Fernando Tatis Jr. was banned for 80 games for doping last season, but still managed to reach the playoffs after finishing the regular season 89-73. The team upset the Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason.