Red Sox Rumors: Rafael Devers to Be Offered Contract Extension During Offseason

The Boston Red Sox plan to offer third baseman Rafael Devers a contract extension, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford.

Devers is under team control for 2020 and has three years of arbitration starting in 2021. 

The 22-year-old has enjoyed a breakout season, hitting 32 home runs and driving in 115 RBI. He also leads the American League in doubles with 53.

The Red Sox have MLB's highest payroll at $229.1 million. Team owners John Henry and Tom Werner made it clear Friday they planned to cut costs this offseason.

"This year we need to be under the CBT [competitive balance tax] and that was something we've known for more than a year now," Henry said, per NBC Sports Boston's John Tomase. "If you don't reset, there are penalties, so we've known for some time now we needed to reset as other clubs have done."

Werner implied the Red Sox could trim payroll and remain a contender:

"One of the things we observe and I think we all observe is, first of all, there are teams that make the postseason with half the payroll the Red Sox have," he said. "Look at the success Oakland has had this year and the Milwaukee Brewers. And we have resources."

Boston could simultaneously offer Devers a lucrative extension while spending less money overall in 2020. Rick Porcello, Mitch Moreland, Steve Pearce and Brock Holt will all be free agents. They combined to make a little over $37.4 million in 2019. J.D. Martinez can opt out as well, which would remove $23.7 million from the books.

Re-signing Devers now would also likely allow the Red Sox to save money compared to what he'd earn annually in arbitration and as a free agent starting in 2024.

It's doubtful Boston could get a bargain approaching the level of Ronald Acuna's eight-year, $100 million extension with the Atlanta Braves.

Alex Bregman will be a better parallel. Bregman was coming off his third season in MLB when he agreed to a five-year, $100 million extension with the Houston Astros.

Those wouldn't be unreasonable terms for Devers' representatives to demand since he ranks 10th among position players in WAR (5.4), per FanGraphs.