It wasn't a stretch to declare the Boston Red Sox as the biggest loser from the 2022 offseason prior to Wednesday afternoon. They lost longtime shortstop Xander Bogaerts in free agency, while making several confusing free agency signings as well. But everything changed when they finally locked up star third baseman Rafael Devers to a long-term contract on Wednesday, ensuring he will spend the next decade in Boston.

Devers and the Sox came to an agreement on a massive 11-year, $331 million extension that will keep him with the Red Sox through the 2033 season, ensuring they won't let another young star leave town after trading Mookie Betts and letting Bogaerts walk in free agency. It was a move Boston's front office absolutely had to make, and they finally delivered.

Extending one star player may not seem like a huge deal, but for the Red Sox, extending Devers has probably saved the franchise for the near future, and it also saved them from having the worst offseason in the MLB (aside from maybe the San Francisco Giants). Let's explore why that's the case, and the reason why Devers' extension is such a big deal for Boston.

Rafael Devers' extension has saved the Red Sox

To understand why this signing means so much for the Sox, it's important to understand the circumstances that preceded this decision. When Betts wanted an extension, he was promptly traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Bogaerts wanted an extension, he was lowballed, and eventually ended up leaving in free agency for nothing. That set a concerning precedent with Devers looking for an extension while being just a year away from hitting the open market.

The front office delivered this time, though, and they did so by providing a deal that benefits both sides. Devers gets his $300 million deal, and compared to all the other massive contracts we have seen this season, the money associated with it isn't particularly outrageous for Boston considering Devers is still just 26 years old.

Devers is clearly one of the best all around hitters in the game of baseball. Even as he fought through injuries last season, he still managed to put up an extremely strong statline (.295 BA, 27 HR, 88 RBI, .879 OPS) and earn his second straight All-Star selection. Devers has had a lot of protection in the Sox lineup to begin his career, but he's now going to be the leader of their lineup for the next 11 years.

This extension for Devers has saved the Sox from a truly awful offseason. Public opinion of the team had really never been lower based on their work in free agency. Not only did they let Bogaerts walk, they also handed out confusing deals for Masataka Yoshida, Kenley Jansen, and even Justin Turner. For a team that made the ALCS back in 2021, it simply wasn't good enough.

The front office, led by Chaim Bloom, was on the verge of being run out of town, and calls for ownership to sell the team were only increasing. The Red Sox were a team that had no direction, despite winning a World Series in 2018 and making it back to the ALCS in 2021. The hope was that they would be able to make some big moves in free agency (such as re-signing Bogaerts) to put them back in the conversation as a World Series contender.

To make one thing abundantly clear; the Red Sox are not a World Series contender just because they extended a player who was already going to be on their roster in 2023. Aside from Devers, what do the Red Sox have right now? The lineup looks perilously thin, and while the bullpen is in much better shape than it was to close out the 2022 season, the same can't necessarily be said about the starting rotation.

But the Red Sox have a direction now. The future of the franchise is Devers, and he gives Boston a player to build around over the next few years. Yes, they have tons of holes, but this team isn't completely done for. They have some solid young pitchers who can operate out of the bullpen or as a starter, a lineup that could exceed expectations, and bounce back candidates such as Chris Sale and Trevor Story.

Even if they don't pan out, the team has a plan now. Everything was murky this offseason for this team because of Bogaerts and Devers' unclear statuses. And while Bogaerts is gone, Devers is sticking around, which was always viewed as the top priority in Boston. It's not going to change things in the immediate future, but the Red Sox have a direction now that Rafael Devers has agreed to stick around and lead the way, and that has saved them from putting together one of the worst offseasons of work in recent memory.