Mookie Betts and the Boston Red Sox went to an arbitration hearing yesterday. Betts was asking for $10.5 million and the Red Sox countered at $7.5 million. Betts won, and now he’ll be making eight figures for 2018.
This was Betts first year of arbitration eligibility. He won’t hit free agency until 2021. That suggests that the 2016 MVP runner-up is in for either a couple more big paydays before hitting the market or a long-term deal from the Red Sox that will buy out his two remaining years of arbitration and, an all likelihood, part of his free agency.
Betts, 25, hit .264/.344/.459 with 24 homers and 102 RBI while playing Gold Glove right field in 2017. For his career he’s a .292/.351/.488 hitter with two Gold Gloves on his mantle. He’s also stolen 80 bases in three full seasons and part of a fourth.
