Supporters for the Boston Red Sox were thrilled when it was announced that Mookie Betts would remain with the team going forward. This comes after the MLB organization, and Mookie Betts agreed to a new contract, which is costing Boston Red Sox $27 million. This deal was finalized on January 10th, 2020, and came right before the arbitration-deadline. This breaks all previous payment records for this acquisition period, with the historical rate standing at $26 million for Nolan Arenado when he signed with the Colorado Rockies. It’s also $7 million higher than what Mookie Betts earned throughout the 2019 season.
The associated cost with keeping Mookie Betts didn’t phase the Boston Red Sox. He maintained an incredible record of 27-hits at a .295/.391/.524 on a 135 Ops+. This extends to twenty-nine home runs at the 6.8 WAR. Mookie managed his capabilities to earn 135 runs with an 80 RBI. Subsequently, this enabled him to become Major League Baseball’s most valuable player. It should be noted that Mookie Betts can deny this offer come the official acquisition period for 2020. Depending on the qualities and capabilities displayed by Mookie Betts throughout the upcoming season, he could acquire a long-term extension on his contract from the Red Sox. This will follow an identical path to Nolan Arenado, who had an incredible performance after receiving his $26 million contract deal.
The History of Mookie
Mookie Betts is one of the most credited players in Major League Baseball. Throughout his career, he’s become an All-Star Champion four times, which extends to four Golden Globes as well. This offseason saw him become one of the most mentioned players, with analysts speculating that he’d be traded from the Red Sox. This changed when Chaim Bloom became the new Chief Baseball Officer for Boston. He clarified that these rumours were false and that all offers had been denied by rival teams. Chaim Bloom expressed that their goal is to have notable players from last season return for 2020. This includes David Chris and Chris Sale, who work efficiently with Mookie Bets. This trio will make more than $80 million collectively, which will be one of the highest payouts made by the Red Sox.
Baseball analysts determined that if Mookie Bets, Chris Sale or David Chris were to leave the Red Sox, it will prompt an immediate decline in wins. An average of 4.3 games would be lost weekly, with standard percentages dropping from 71% to 49%. The Red Sox determined figures similar to these analysts, which prompted the increased payout. It’s been a prolonged period since the Red Sox won the MLB Championship, which could change this year with these players returning.