Dodgers fans will have something new to cheer for amidst a global pandemic as the club announced the extension of outfielder Mookie Betts.
The Dodgers announced they will extend Mookie Betts to a 12-year contract, which will keep the star in Los Angeles until the 2032 season. MLB insider, Jeff Passan, first reported the deal and announced the contracted is valued at $365 million and includes a $65 million signing bonus.
In total, Betts will spend 13-years in Los Angeles and earn $392 million when including the 2020 one-year deal he is currently under. The contract also exceeded that of baseball superstars Bryce Harper (13-years, $330 million), Giancarlo Stanton (13-years, $325 million), Gerrit Cole (9-years, $324 million) and Manny Machado (10-years, $300 million).
Is Betts worth the price tag? Absolutely.
Betts has a career batting average of .301 through six years in the league and has belted 139 home runs in that span. Betts also earned four consecutive American League Rawlings Gold Glove awards and made the All-Star team from 2016-19. He was also a member of the 2018 World Series Champions, the Boston Red Sox.
The 27-year-old star also won the American League MVP back in 2018 as a member of the Red Sox organization.
After the Dodgers decision to extend Mookie Betts, it will likely add some pressure on the club’s front office as they still have yet to extend the 2019 National League MVP, Cody Bellinger and shortstop Corey Seager. The club will have additional cap space after the 2021-22 seasons as the large contracts of Clayton Kershaw, David Price, Joe Kelly, Justin Turner and Kenley Jansen will be off the books (unless resigned).
