The Red Sox have reopened contract talks with star third baseman Rafael Devers, but the gap is said to remain large.
Word is the Red Sox have now raised their offer to $200 million-plus, probably necessary given the Braves signed less-experienced star third baseman Austin Riley for $212 million. However, with Devers only a year away from free agency, he seeks at least 10 years for $300 million-plus.
Rafael Devers and the Red Sox still remain far apart in negotiations for a long-term contract. APDevers, 26, hit .283 with 27 homers and an .879 OPS in 2022 and leads MLB with 264 extra-base hits since 2019 (he’s second in total bases, two behind Freddie Freeman). The new talks were first reported by Yancen Pujols.
The Red Sox are in a bind on both their homegrown stars after unaccepted offers in spring. They originally offered about $168 million over eight years to Devers and are said to have “insulted” two-time World Series winner Xander Bogaerts, offering $20 million extra and a year more, an offer so low some in Boston media doubted its veracity.
The mistake of trading Mookie Betts raises the urgency. A rival said, “The Red Sox are in a tough spot.”
