Rafael Devers turned 26 years old on Monday. The Boston Red Sox third baseman could get an impressive belated birthday gift.
According to reports, the Red Sox not only have a “senior club executive” in the Dominican Republic, but they are looking to lock Devers in for at least seven years. This deal would presumably be for far more than the offers Devers turned down already where the Red Sox regarded Matt Olson’s contract as a fair comparison.
Boston Red Sox need to find a way to keep Rafael Devers
According to Hector Gomez, that will be the case. He is reporting that the extension is expected to be worth nearly double the original offer, a significant investment into their third baseman as Devers would be one of the centerpieces of the roster for the foreseeable future.
Devers has blossomed into a star for the Red Sox. A career .283/.342/.512 hitter with 139 homers and 187 doubles over parts of six years in the majors, he has developed into a two time All Star and a player worthy of MVP consideration. He is one of the leaders on the roster, one of the last links to their championship days.
He is also a player that the Red Sox need to lock in. Xander Bogaerts is seemingly as good as gone, the Red Sox front office having appeared to have missed their chance to extend their All Star shortstop. With the likes of J.D. Martinez, Nathan Eovaldi, and others set to hit free agency, and the Red Sox strange reticence to extend their players, they cannot afford to make a mistake with Devers here.
Devers could also be the key to the Red Sox future. If he leaves in free agency following the 2023 season, the roster may need a complete overhaul. Chris Sale, Trevor Story, Garrett Whitlock, and Eric Hosmer are the only guaranteed contracts currently on the books for 2024. If Devers reaches free agency, the Red Sox could be forced into a rebuilding process that they did not see coming.
The Boston Red Sox are reportedly looking to extend Rafael Devers and make him the centerpiece of the team. It is a deal that needs to happen.