There is arguably no better feeling than to be compensated as much as possible for the work you put in. And Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers could attest to that following a hilarious response during contract negotiations with owner John Henry.
Speaking with Jen McCaffrey and Chad Jennings of The Athletic, Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed that Rafael Devers' eyes lit up in such a luminous fashion when the 26-year old third baseman received an eye-popping $300 million contract extension offer for the first time.
“His eyes got as big as when he sees a fastball right in the middle. And I was right next to him. I was like, ‘Chill, bro,'” Cora said.
Oh he must have been licking his chops, especially after he posted the best numbers of his career against the fastball in 2022. Of course, the principal rule of negotiation is to never take the first offer. And surely enough, Rafael Devers refused to take the initial offer even if the Red Sox brass blew him away.
In the end, Devers accepted a 11-year, $331 million contract that would keep him in Boston (barring an unforeseen trade) for the next decade.
The Red Sox couldn't afford to lose yet another position player franchise cornerstone after losing Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts in recent years. Only 26, Devers is already one of the best hitters in the entire MLB and with plenty of room to grow to spare, as the Red Sox try to make their way back to contention following a down 2022 season.
Follow Us
Subscribe