Rafael Devers on Tuesday agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Red Sox to ensure he would avoid arbitration and play the 2023 season in Boston. That news also came with a handful of reports stating Boston’s well-documented plans to keep Devers long-term remain the same.
Red Sox fans received another such indication Wednesday morning.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported how Devers’ camp and the Red Sox remain engaged in multi-year talks. Heyman on Wednesday, just as The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier did one day prior, called discussions between the team and player “steady” in relation to a multi-year possibility.
Heyman reported that Devers has been seeking $300 million, which was “reinforced” given some of the big contracts this offseason.
Speier wrote for the Boston Globe on Tuesday: “While the agreement is for just one year, it points to the ongoing conversations on a longer-term deal. Multiple sources characterized the dialogue between the sides as steady, even as they have yet to find common ground.”
The Athletic’s Chad Jennings also reported the one-year deal for Devers’ 2023 season doesn’t change anything regarding the team’s desire to lock Devers up on a long-term deal. MLB insider Jeff Passan shared how the fact the two parties avoided arbitration shows discussions are taking place.
Devers’ one-year pact for the 2023 season reportedly is worth $17.5 million, which Heyman believed to be a “nice sign.”
The 26-year-old is entering the final year of his contract and can become a free agent next offseason. The two-time All-Star has proven to be one of the best young players in baseball, and his production in Boston would be difficult to replace, especially following the offseason departure of shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
