Mookie Betts Avoids Arbitration With Red Sox, Reportedly Agrees To $20 Million Salary
BOSTON (CBS) -- There will be no arbitration battle between Mookie Betts and the Boston Red Sox this year. The AL MVP and defending World Series champs have reportedly agreed on a one-year, $20 million deal for the 2019 season.
Mookie Betts settled with the Boston Red Sox at $20 million, league source familiar with the agreement tells ESPN. A huge number that sets a new standard for 4+ players. His number next year, if he doesn't work out an extension, could be gargantuan.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 11, 2019
That's a huge raise for Betts, who won his arbitration case against the Red Sox last season to secure a $10.5 million salary for 2018. That was a bargain for Boston, as Betts led all of baseball with a .346 batting average to go with his 32 homers, 80 RBIs and 129 runs scored (tied for the most in baseball). The outfielder was named to his third straight All-Star game last season, and won a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award to go with his AL MVP.
Betts still has one more year of arbitration eligibility before he can become a free agent.
The Red Sox actually avoided arbitration on all 12 of their eligible players on Friday:
Here are all the numbers:
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) January 11, 2019
Mookie Betts - $20m
Xander Bogaerts - $12m
Jackie Bradley - $8.55m
Eduardo Rodriguez - $4.3m
Brock Holt - $3.575m
Sandy Leon - $2.475m
Matt Barnes - $1.6m
Steven Wright - $1.375m
Workman - $1.15m
Swihart - $910k
Not a bad day of work for Dave Dombrowski.