SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes today announced that the club has signed midfielder Shea Salinas to a one-year contract with option to extend. Salinas, entering his 10th consecutive season with the Quakes and 12th season overall, is now the team’s longest tenured player currently under contract for 2021.
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“San Jose has benefitted from its strong veteran presence within the locker room, including Shea Salinas,” said Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli. “These players represent far more than simply their on-field contributions. We’re excited to count on Shea’s qualities and leadership because they‘ve impacted our performance as well as our commitment to push ourselves to the limit for the team as well as for our fans.”
Salinas, 34, is a 13-year MLS veteran with 11 prior seasons in San Jose (2008-09, 2012-20). Among all players in Earthquakes history, Salinas ranks first in assists (48), second in appearances (292) and corner kicks (398), third in minutes played (16,611), and fourth in starts (168). Only Chris Wondolowski (344) has played in more matches for the Quakes than the Texas native.
The former Furman University Paladin was the club’s first SuperDraft selection (No. 15 overall) following the team’s return to Major League Soccer after a two-year hiatus in 2008. After two seasons with the Quakes, Salinas was selected in back-to-back Expansion Drafts by the Philadelphia Union (2010) and Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2011). He was reacquired by San Jose in a trade with Vancouver after the 2011 season.
Salinas averaged more than six assists per year for the Quakes from 2012 to 2016, including seven during the team’s Supporters’ Shield run in 2012 and eight in each of the following two seasons.
He has appeared in 51 of the team’s 57 regular season matches over the past two years, tallying eight goals and five assists during that time, including a career-high six goals in 2019. He also scored during the team’s match vs. Sporting Kansas City in the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Salinas is one of just nine players in MLS history with at least 335 appearances (335) and 50 assists (51) in his career. He also ranks seventh in MLS history in appearances for one club, among non-goalkeepers, and would move into sole possession of fifth place with at least five appearances for San Jose in 2021.
Salinas has been involved in numerous off-field initiatives over the years and received a community-facing award from the club in 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016. He also earned the team’s Media Good Guy Award in each of the past two seasons for being the friendliest and most welcoming to media requests.
Transaction: San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) – Earthquakes sign M Shea Salinas to a new contract.
