In due time, the Boston Red Sox are going to have to hit the negotiating table with Mookie Betts.
The Sox’s star outfielder will become a free agent after the 2020 season, and he likely will be one of, if not the biggest prizes on the open market. Despite the fact that the slow market currently has left Bryce Harper and Manny Machado unsigned, there’s reason to believe that Betts will get a big payday one way or another.
During media availability Thursday, Betts was asked about his eventual free agency. After saying he preaches patience when it comes to contract negotiations, he had this to say about possibly inking a long-term deal with Boston down the road.
“I mean, yeah, if everything works out well, I love this place,” Betts said, via The Boston Herald. “I love Boston. It’s one of those things where you have to see how it goes.”
Betts got a massive $20 million haul in arbitration this winter, and that number likely will grow next winter providing he has another big season. But while it is expected to be pricey, Boston’s brass has made clear they’d like to keep the 26-year-old in a Red Sox uniform for a long time.
