BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox manager Alex Cora had a feeling Rafael Devers would stay when rough terms of a new deal were discussed at a high-level meeting in the Dominican Republic.
“I wanted to be there, just to hear someone tell you that you’re going to make all that money,” Cora said Wednesday, when the team announced a 10-year contract that will net Devers $331 million through 2033.
“His reaction was tremendous. He’s priceless,” Cora said. “His eyes got as big as when he sees a fastball right in the middle.”
Burned by the departures of Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts, the Red Sox ultimately retained a homegrown All-Star, locking up Devers before he had a chance to become a free agent after the upcoming season. Team president Sam Kennedy said the 10-year deal is “a deal that we hope will keep him in the Red Sox forever.”
“He’s not just a star: he’s our star,” baseball general manager Chaim Bloom said. “It’s a wonderful thing to keep a local player who loves Boston, and Boston…loves back.”
A two-time All-Star who first signed with the Red Sox at age 16, Devers has batted .283 with 139 homers and 455 RBI since being called up in 2017 at age 20. three seasons, he leads the majors with 149 doubles and 264 extra hits.
The Red Sox avoided arbitration this year by signing him to a one-year, $17.5 million contract. But he would have been eligible for free agency after the season, and that prospect was something the Red Sox and their fans didn’t want to think about after seeing Betts traded in 2020 and Bogaerts walk last month.
So the masterminds of the team – including Bloom, Kennedy, Cora and owner John Henry – met Devers and his agents at the player’s Dominican home in mid-December.
“I thought they wouldn’t come all the way to the Dominican Republic for no reason,” said Devers, who – unlike Betts and Bogaerts – had no desire to test the market. “Free will is not easy. It’s a difficult process and I just didn’t want to go through it.
The final terms were agreed on December 31.
“Hopefully next year during the holidays, we’ll spend less time talking to each other,” Bloom said. “They’re great guys, but that’s not how I want to spend the next New Year’s Eve.”
Although Bloom entered the offseason saying his No. 1 goal was to re-sign Bogaerts, that changed after the All-Star shortstop signed an 11-year, $280 million deal with the padres. Red Sox president Tom Werner said Wednesday that signing Devers was “obviously an urgent priority.”
“We think his best years are even ahead of him because he’s in his twenties,” said Werner, whose appearance at the press conference ended a general three-year drought in media availability for the owned by the Red Sox. “We didn’t want Raffy to become a free agent next year, and we’re glad about that.”
If Devers sticks to the contract, which would allow him to celebrate his 37th birthday at the 2033 World Series, he would be a member of the Red Sox for 17 seasons, tying Tim Wakefield and trailing only Carl Yastrzemski (23), Dwight Evans (19) and Ted Williams (19).
Now 25, Devers thanked the Red Sox and their fans, “who have adopted me since I was 16.” He promised that the long-term contract would not change him.
“That will never happen,” he said through a translator. “I just want to be the same guy I’ve always been. Someone who has fun, loves games and is approachable.
The Devers deal was rare good news this offseason for the Red Sox, who followed a final berth losing not only Bogaerts as a free agent, but also JD Martinez, Christian Vázquez, Nathan Eovaldi and Rich Hill. On Tuesday, the team revealed that Bogaerts’ likely replacement at shortstop, Trevor Story, will miss most or all of the season recovering from elbow surgery.
Bloom asked fans to be patient.
“What we always talk about is…constantly fighting for championships. I hope that vision is a little clearer here today, knowing that this guy is going to be right in the middle,” he said. he said, nodding at Devers.
“We took a few tedders; you know what, we’ll probably take a few more. It’s baseball. It’s not supposed to be easy,” he said. “But I want to be clear: we’re going to do it, and it’s going to be awesome. And we will get there. »
NOT TO SELL
Also Wednesday, Werner said Red Sox ownership is not looking to sell the team. Fenway Sports Group, which owns the baseball team with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, English Premier League’s Liverpool and the Roush Fenway Keselowski NASCAR team, said it was open to new investors in the club. soccer.
The money would be used for new investments, with an NBA franchise topping the list.
“There is absolutely no plan” to sell, Werner said. “I’m 72. John is 72. We have a desire to win a lot more World Series here. As long as we’re healthy, we’ll hopefully improve the stewardship of the Red Sox… Our heart and soul are with the Red Sox.”
NEGOTIATED
On Wednesday, the Red Sox traded left-hander Darwinzon Hernandez to the Baltimore Orioles for cash. He had been slated for a Jan. 6 assignment to open up a spot on infielder Justin Turner’s roster.
Hernandez, 26, is 3-4 with a 5.06 ERA in 91 appearances over four seasons with the Red Sox.
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