Buster Olney on Red Sox chances of extending Rafael Devers this offseason: 'I think they’ll offer Devers an offer he can’t refuse'
Rafael Devers will enter the final year of his contract with the Red Sox in 2023
One of the over communicated topics this season has been whether or not the Red Sox will offer an extension to All-Star Rafael Devers. ESPN’s Buster Olney gave his thoughts on the Devers situation while on The Bradfo Show on WEEI’s airwaves.
“I think they’ll offer Devers an offer he can’t refuse,” said Olney.
The narrative amongst Red Sox fans this season is that chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and the ownership group would trade Devers this offseason. It’s merely a speculative opinion by the face base due to how Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi were handled at the end of their Red Sox tenure.
It was reported prior to Spring Training the Red Sox and Devers were about $100 million apart in contract negotiations. During the All-Star break, Boston Globe’s Alex Speier wrote that the Red Sox offered Devers a contract similar to Braves’ first baseman Matt Olson.
Speier would write: “According to a major league source familiar with the talks, the Red Sox identified Matt Olson’s eight-year, $168 million extension with Atlanta as a basis for discussions — citing the likelihood that Devers would spend much of the contract either at first base or designated hitter.”
If the Red Sox offered Devers the Olson money, that is a joke because Devers and Olson are two different players. Devers is becoming a superstar in Boston and the organization was lowballing another star.
The Red Sox this season have been playing as if they have been in a fog. Fans could argue that Bloom and the ownership group have been in that same fog. One thing is for certain, Boston has to sign Devers to an extension.
After trading Betts away for Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong and Jeter Downs and sending Andrew Benintendi to the Royals, the pressure of not losing another star is mounting. The fan base this season has been the most split and vocal they have been in maybe 20-25 years.
The pressure is finally getting to the point that the front office and ownership group might finally listen to their paying customers, the fans.
Red Sox owner John Henry has said in the past he will spend on the team and players. Which is true, the ownership group hasn't been “cheap” however, the argument can be made on how they spend their money. Chris Sale’s contract extension has been a massive failure. The signing of Trevor Story was Bloom’s biggest contract handed out and the moaning and groaning has already begun due to his low batting average and missing time on the injured list with a wrist injury.
If the Red Sox want to sell hot dogs, beers, tickets and what feels even more important right now, NESN 360, the priority needs to be Devers. The pressure and backlash from the fan base may have finally woken up Henry. Until the pen is put to paper, the Devers extension will continue to be speculation and one of the biggest topics surrounding this team.
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