Mookie Betts, Dodgers Reach Agreement On Massive Contract Extension
BOSTON (CBS) -- When the Red Sox traded Mookie Betts away this past winter, some Red Sox fans held on to some hope that Betts may sign back with Boston as a free agent. Those hopes, small as they may have been, have already been dashed, as Betts and the Dodgers just agreed to a contract extension that will keep Betts in L.A. for a very long time.
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the deal is a 12-year extension worth $365 million -- an annual payday of $30.4 million.
Outfielder Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agreement on a 12-year, $365 million contract extension, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Combined with the one-year, $27 million deal he's currently under, the total is 13 years and $392 million.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 22, 2020
News of a budding deal first came Wednesday morning from WEEI's Lou Merloni, who tweeted that Betts and the Dodgers were nearing a massive deal.
Sorry @Jared_Carrabis your dream scenario may come to an end within the next couple days, I'm told. Mookie will remain in LA for a very very long time. 10+ yrs for BIG $$. Between 350-400. @WEEI @OMFonWEEI
— Lou Merloni (@LouMerloni) July 22, 2020
Previously, Merloni had reported that the Red Sox offered a 10-year, $300 million deal to Betts, who countered that with a proposal for 12 years and $420 million ($35 million annually). The Red Sox' and Betts' inability to find middle ground led to the team ultimately trading him to Los Angeles this past winter, one year before Betts was set to hit free agency.
While some speculated that the coronavirus pandemic and the significant revenue losses suffered in MLB this year would cost Betts up to $100 million in his eventual free-agent deal, it appears that the star outfielder may be able to indeed make his money.
Mookie Betts' deal, which is expected to be finalize before the #Dodgers' season-opener, would make him the richest player in #MLB history, surpassing Mike Trout's 10-year, $360 million extension a year ago.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 22, 2020
The Dodgers gave up shortstop Jeter Downs, outfielder Alex Verdugo, and catcher Connor Wong to Boston in order to get Betts, and based on Wednesday's news, it seems the organization is intent on not paying that price to just get one shortened season out of their superstar outfielder.