Good chance they won’t get back the return Betts is worth
Mookie Betts is one of the best players in the game, as he is in the category just below Mike Trout. But he is going to be paid around $30 million next season before he heads to free agency, and that will certainly be a big factor in whether another team wants to take on Betts for one season.
The Red Sox are going to try to extend their right fielder, but all signs point to him electing free agency, and rightfully so. He is most likely going to get paid money in the open market when he has 30 suitors than he would when the Red sox have no other competition.
Since Betts probably wants to go to free agency, teams are not going to want to offer Chaim Bloom their best young prospects that could be impactful major league players for six years in order to get one year of a guy they would still have to pay $30 million just to see him walk out the door in November.
Therefore, the Red Sox would be better off keeping him because they aren’t going to want to be lowballed when they have a chance of winning another championship with Betts if they keep him.
In free agency the compensation picks seem to be very valuable to every general manager in baseball, so the Red Sox would be able to get a good pick if Betts does leave.
Keeping Betts would also show him that they are committed to him, which could lead to Betts always coming back around to them when he is about to sign a contract in free agency to see if the Red Sox are willing to match it.