The Athletics reportedly gave one of their young stars a very nice Christmas present. 

The Athletics and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom agreed to a seven-year, $86 million contract on Thursday, according to multiple reports. 

The contract is the largest the team has ever given out. The deal also includes an eighth-year club option and has escalators that bring the maximum value of the contract to $131 million. 

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Soderstrom, 24, broke out in 2025. He debuted in 2023 as a catcher and first baseman, and struggled to hit in his first taste of Major League Baseball, hitting .160 with just three home runs and a .472 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) in 45 games. 

The Turlock, Calif., native came back up to the big leagues in 2024 and was much better. In 61 games, Soderstrom had a .233 batting average with nine home runs, 26 RBI and a .743 OPS while still primarily playing first base. 

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Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) reacts after being caught stealing second during the third inning against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, on Sept. 23, 2025. (Sergio Estrada/Imagn Images)

In 2025, Soderstrom played primarily left field and thrived at the plate. He started 145 of the 158 games he played this year — 100 of those starts in left field — his first full major league season.

In those 158 games, he batted .276 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI with an OPS of .820, cementing himself as a key piece of the Athletics’ young core. 

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Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) scores a run during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, on Sept. 26, 2025. (Sergio Estrada/Imagn Images)

Soderstrom was on track to become eligible for arbitration after the 2026 season and for free agency after the 2029 season. Instead, he joins outfielder/designated hitter Brent Rooker (five-year, $60 million contract) and outfielder Lawrence Butler (seven-year, $65.5 million contract) as another part of the young, dynamic lineup that is locked in long term. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Pakistan Under 19 captain Farhan Yousuf sees the upcoming tri-series with Zimbabwe and Afghanistan as an opportunity for preparation for the team ahead of the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup, set to start in January in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The Green Shirts, who won the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup earlier this month by defeating arch-rivals India in the blockbuster final, held their first training session here at the Harare Sports Club, where they will kick-start their tri-series campaign against Afghanistan on Saturday.

Speaking to PCB Digital, the Pakistan captain shared that the national players are confident and excited for the upcoming challenge after a monumental glory at the recently concluded continental tournament.

He further stressed the importance of the tri-series in helping his side acclimatise to the conditions here, as they will be playing all of their group-stage matches of the U19 World Cup in the same city.

“The Asia Cup was a good win for us, and the players showed great morale and intensity. The players are confident and excited as we head into the tri-series,” Farhan told PCB Digital.

“The tri-series is very important for the players and will help us find the right combinations ahead of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup. The conditions here are similar and will be beneficial for our World Cup preparations,” he added.

The middle-order batter also hailed Afghanistan and Zimbabwe as “strong and competitive” sides, emphasising their mantra of respecting their opposition.

“Both teams in the tournament are strong and competitive, and we respect every opposition as we look forward to a competitive event.”

After their campaign opener against Afghanistan on Saturday, Pakistan will take on Zimbabwe at the Prince Edward School on December 29, while their remaining two fixtures against Afghanistan and the home side are scheduled for January 2 and 4, respectively.

The top two teams in the standings after the league stage will advance into the final, slated to be played at the Old Hararians Sports Club on January 6.

Pakistan squad for tri-series and U19 World Cup

Farhan Yousaf (c), Usman Khan (vc), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Hasan Baloch, Ali Raza, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Huzaifa Ahsan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Sayyam, Mohammad Shayan (wk), Niqab Shafiq, Sameer Minhas, and Umar Zaib.

Non-traveling reserves: Abdul Qadir, Farhanullah, Hassan Khan, Ibtisam Azhar, and Mohammad Huzaifa.