The Boston Red Sox are on the record as saying they want to sign Mookie Betts to a contract that will keep the star outfielder as the face of the franchise for years to come.
Thus far, their efforts have been futile.
As you might have heard, the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday reportedly came to terms with Mike Trout on a 12-year, $430 million extension — the largest contract in professional sports history. And with Trout, Bryce Harper ($330 million with Philadelphia Phillies) and Manny Machado ($300 million with San Diego Padres) now locked up to long-term deals, the focus has shifted to Betts, who is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2020 season.
Betts on Wednesday was notably candid when asked about Trout’s deal as well as his own pending free agency. In particular, the 26-year-old admitted he rejected an extension offer last season.
Check out this tweet from the Boston Herald’s Jason Mastrodonato:
Betts also said he doesn’t expect to sign anything until he reaches free agency. Whether it’s wise for Betts to bet on himself and leave potentially $400 million on the table is up for debate, but given his age and talent, there’s no reason to expect his next two years won’t be comparable to what he’s already done in the big leagues.
Should Betts continue performing at an MVP-caliber level, he could be looking at even more money than Trout.
