Lou Merloni joins Felger & Holley on Boston Sports Tonight to talk about the future of Rafael Devers as he heads into his final year under contract
If the Boston Red Sox hope to keep Rafael Devers from becoming a free agent, they'll have to sign him to a contract extension before Opening Day.
Devers, according to The Boston Globe's Alex Speier, will not entertain extension negotiations after spring training. The star third baseman is scheduled to hit free agency for the first time in his career after the 2023 MLB season.
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Although Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom described Devers' contract as a "top priority," the two sides coming to terms on a deal before the season seems unlikely. Devers could land a long-term deal worth more than $300 million next winter. The 27-year-old just watched his friend and former teammate Xander Bogaerts ink an 11-year, $280 million contract with the San Diego Padres.
Devers has no real reason to commit to Boston long-term unless he's blown away with an offer before the season starts. Given how the Red Sox front office has operated since Bloom's arrival, fans shouldn't get their hopes up. Devers would follow Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, and Bogaerts as core members of the 2018 World Series roster the Red Sox have said goodbye to in recent years.
If extension talks break down, a Devers trade can't be ruled out. The Red Sox would be wise to get a haul for one of the best third basemen in the game rather than let him walk for nothing, as they did with Bogaerts.
Devers earned his second All-Star selection in 2022, posting a .295/.358/.521 slash line with 27 homers and 88 RBI in 141 games.