Why Rafael Devers -- an hy ow? Mang see of th Bosn Rd So's bg invest

Rafael Devers is staying in Boston.

The Red Sox and their star third baseman are finalizing an 11-year, $331 million contract extension, setting up the 26-year-old slugger as 토토사이트the cornerstone of the next generation at Fenway Park. Following some high-profile departures in recent years, Devers will be the clear face of the franchise -- 먹튀검증and its offensive catalyst -- for years to come.

Here are a few of the biggest questions surrounding the 안전놀이터blockbuster deal -- and what it means for the Red Sox moving forward.

Why Rafael Devers -- and not Mookie Betts or https://www.muktwiguardian.com/ Xander Bogaerts?

For many in Boston, one question immediately comes to mind: Why did Devers get a mega-extension when two other homegrown superstars -- outfielder Mookie Betts and shortstop Xander Bogaerts -- are no longer wearing Red Sox uniforms?

Shortly after getting the team's chief baseball officer job ahead of the 2020 season, Chaim Bloom famously traded Betts when ownership mandated he get the Red Sox under the luxury tax threshold. The decision to trade Betts -- in Bloom's mind -- represented the best way to rebuild the farm system and cut salary, with veteran left-hander David Price and his contract included in the deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Betts eventually signed a 12-year, $365 million deal with the Dodgers -- a deal he told ESPN in August he would have signed in Boston -- while the Red Sox received Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong and Jeter Downs, the latter of whom the team designated for assignment this offseason and was claimed by the Washington Nationals. The trade drew substantial backlash and remains a sore spot among fans.

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Then this winter, Bogaerts, a four-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, became a free agent after he and the team failed to come to an agreement on a contract extension ahead of the 2022 campaign. Bogaerts had said he was hopeful he could spend the rest of his career in Boston but instead received an offer of an additional year and $30 million on top of the three years and $60 million left on his previous contract. The offer felt like "a slap," according to a source close to Bogaerts. Bogaerts subsequently signed an 11-year, $280 million deal with the San Diego Padres last month.

The truth is, Boston had always prioritized signing Devers over Bogaerts. The Red Sox front office views Devers as potentially a generational bat. Since his MLB debut, Devers has posted a 162-game average of 103 runs, 179 hits, 44 doubles, 33 homers, 107 RBIs and 324 total bases, according to ESPN's Paul Hembekides.

But the biggest factor for the front office was their ages. While Bogaerts hit free agency as a 30-year-old, Devers only recently turned 26. While Bloom and his front office did not feel comfortable giving a long-term contract to a player who'd be in his 40s by the end of the deal, Devers will be just 37 when this contract is up.

Why was this deal so important to get done now?

According to multiple sources during the December winter meetings, the Red Sox and Devers were more than $100 million apart. That also was when Bogaerts signed with the Padres. After that blow, Bloom told ESPN in December the team would go "beyond reason" to try to get an extension done with Devers and, ultimately, the team significantly increased its offer to bring the final total to 11 years and $331 million.

'There are a couple of regrets'

Chaim Bloom and the Red Sox try to move forward after Xander Bogaerts bolts Boston. Joon Lee »

Not signing Devers to a contract extension would have created a season-long distraction for the Red Sox. Had Boston not signed Devers before spring training, the third baseman would not have wanted to negotiate until next offseason, according to sources close to Devers, increasing the chances the slugger would reach free agency. That lack of clarity would have only increased the speculation already brewing over whether the team needed to trade Devers rather than lose another star player in free agency -- in other words, a repeat either of the Betts trade or what happened this past season with Bogaerts.

And locking up Devers not only makes him Boston's centerpiece player for the foreseeable future, it also removes a lot of uncertainty surrounding the franchise. While retaining Devers was always a top priority, the departure of Bogaerts put pressure on the front office. Bloom admitted to ESPN that he had regrets over the Bogaerts negotiations. And sentiment had grown in the front office, according to multiple sources, that the team needed to make a move "for the fans" after that backlash. The Devers deal is fan-friendly and still aligns with Bloom's vision for the team's future.