Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez 'Will Be Difficult' to Keep, Says Red Sox CEO

Look away, Boston Red Sox fans.

On Monday, Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy said "there is a way" for the team to retain both Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez next season, but he added that "it will be difficult given the nature of the contracts," according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

Betts and the Red Sox will likely be heading to arbitration this offseason, where Betts should be awarded with a huge payday for 2020 if he and Boston don't agree to a contract extension. Martinez, meanwhile, can opt out of his contract and hit free agency to look for a raise on the three years and $62.3 million he'll be due if he opts into the deal. 

With starting pitcher David Price set to make $32 million in each of the next three seasons and Chris Sale due $30 million a year in each of the next three campaigns before he can opt out of his contract, Boston's payroll could get very expensive. 

Martinez acknowledged as much Sunday.

"I think everyone knows we don't think they're going to be able to afford Mookie," Martinez told John Tomase of NBC Sports. "It's one of those things. It's kind of hard to have three guys making $30 million on your team. He deserves it. He's earned it."

Betts is going to eventually earn a contract that exceeds $300 million and perhaps one that is in the ballpark of Mike Trout's record-setting 12-year, $426.5 million extension with the Los Angeles Angels in March.

But even if that level of extension doesn't come from the Red Sox this season, Betts will likely be awarded a contract in excess of $30 million for the 2020 season in arbitration. And once he hits free agency, his price tag should only go up.

Such is the going rate for a 26-year-old former MVP. While Betts didn't quite match his epic 2018 AL MVP campaign, he still hit .295 with 29 homers, 80 RBI, 135 runs and 16 stolen bases this past season. He deserves to be one of the top-paid players. 

And what happens if Martinez opts out? He'll also be a popular man on the market after having another excellent season, hitting .304 with 36 homers and 105 RBI. He's one of the best sluggers in baseball, and at 32, he has plenty of good years remaining. Martinez might prefer the security of the deal he has in place, but if he believes he can exceed it on the market, he's a prime candidate to opt out.

All of this is happening after principal owner John Henry said he wants Boston to get under the $208 million competitive balance threshold next season.

"This [coming] year we need to be under the CBT. That was something we've known for more than a year now," he said Friday, per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. "... We may not be under. It's our goal to be under."

Something's got to give, and it's hard to envision a scenario in which both Betts and Martinez are back. The doomsday scenario is Martinez signing elsewhere in free agency this winter and Betts following suit a year from now.

Deep breaths, Boston fans. Deep breaths.