Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts won his arbitration hearing on Tuesday, meaning he will earn $10.5 million this season.
A big win for Mookie Betts in arbitration, at $10.5 million. Repped by Steve Veltman and Ed Cerulo of Legacy.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 31, 2018
Not only is this substantially larger than the $7.5 million that Boston offered him, but it’s also an unusually high amount for any player in their first year of arbitration eligibility. In fact, Betts’ deal is one of the largest sums ever won by a player in their first year of eligibility.
The 25-year-old qualifies for two more years of arbitration before he becomes a free agent in 2020. It is also worth noting that his salary for this year becomes his salary baseline, meaning he is likely going to cost the Sox some serious money in the years to come.
Based on his contributions to the team, Betts is well deserving of this increased salary. In addition to being a two time Gold Glove winner, Betts is one of the most consistent two-way threats on the team.
Behind the plate, he is a career .292 hitter with 78 home runs. Defensively, from 2015-17 he ranks third among all players in defensive runs saved, seventh among all players in ultimate zone rating, and sixth among all players in WAR, according to CBS Sports.
Alex Cora aids Puerto Rico
Newly appointed Red Sox manager Alex Cora flew to his native Puerto Rico on Tuesday to lend his efforts to Hurricane Maria recovery.
“While many areas have recovered from the initial devastation of the storm, there is still a great need on the island for relief,” Cora said. “I am thankful to the Red Sox, who did not hesitate when I suggested a relief trip this offseason, and I am grateful to JetBlue for transporting all the supplies and for the many organizations who made donations.”
Cora visited his home of Caugus bearing food, water filtration supplies, and medical supplies to help the victims of the hurricane. They also gifted a check for $20,000 to Caguas Mayor William Miranda Marin to aid in bringing the city back to life.
