Red Sox reportedly offered 3B Rafael Devers $200M contract extension; All-Star wants 'over $300M'
The New York Yankees aren't the only team that was unable to reach an agreement on a pre-Opening Day contract extension with a star player. The Yankees' biggest rival — the Boston Red Sox — have not one, but two potentially unhappy All-Stars when it comes to negotiations on a possible long-term deal.
Three-time All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts has started the 2022 campaign without an extension , as has 2021 first-time All-Star Rafael Devers. It was reported one week ago that the third baseman had turned down an offer from the Red Sox and on Wednesday, ESPN.com's Jeff Passan revealed just how far apart Boston and Devers are.
Mookie Betts, of course, spent the first six years of his career with the Red Sox from 2014 to 2019, capturing an AL MVP award and earning four All-Star nods, four Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, one batting title and helping Boston win the 2018 World Series over his current team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Betts was traded along with former AL Cy Young award winner David Price and cash in exchange for Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong and highly-touted prospect Jeter Downs in February 2020 after an extension couldn't be agreed upon.
Since making his MLB debut in July 2017, Devers has recorded 113 home runs, 369 RBIs, 607 hits, 147 doubles and a .279/.338/.510 slash line. Coming off of a 2021 campaign in which hit a career-high 38 home runs, the 25-year-old has gone 5-for-16 with one home run, two RBIs and two runs thus far this year.
Devers will make $11.2 million in 2022. He still has another season of arbitration eligibility before becoming an unrestricted free agent ahead of the 2024 season.
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