Mookie Betts and Los Angeles Dodgers Reach Blockbuster Extension
When the Los Angeles Dodgers traded away multiple pieces Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, Connor Wong, Kenta Maeda, and Jair Comargo to acquire Mookie Betts, David Price, and others there was much risk involved. With only one year left on Betts' current contract, they were betting, pun intended, on themselves that he would either resign or sign an extension with them.
On Wednesday, the gamble paid off without Betts even having played a real game in Dodgerblue as reports are that he and Los Angeles have agreed to a 13-year $380M extension according to Jeff Passan.
Mookie is 27 years old and this current contract extension will keep him with LA until age 40, talk about security. He'll earn an average annual salary of just about $30M per season.
Personally, I'm not a big fan of 10+ year-long contracts because you know by the tail end of it the player won't be worth the money he's making. However, if the player can help bring a championship or two to your organization then it's well worth dealing with the under-performing and eventual injuries that will undoubtedly happen.
Betts has a phenomenal track record during his six-year career in Boston playing for the Red Sox. He is a four-time All-Star, has only hit less than .291 for one season, has scored 100+ runs the previous four seasons, and averages 28 home runs a season over 162 games. Speaking of games played, he's reliable as well never playing less than 136 games outside of his rookie season.
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