Rafael Devers Reportedly wants $300M+ In Contract Extension

It's no secret that Red Sox All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers has not been happy with his recent contract extension negotiations. The 24-year-old was open with the media during spring training about his payroll discontentment, saying that Red Sox management was low-balling him with offers "lower than he was willing to consider." 

Rafael Devers rejected a contract extension offer from the Red Sox, per @hgomez27

The offer was ‘lower than he is willing to consider’ pic.twitter.com/exyaD8bR3L

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) April 6, 2022

Devers knows what he's worth. He finished 11th in MVP voting last season after hitting 38 home runs and 113 RBIs. What's more, he missed only six games all season and put up a respectable .279 batting average. It's unknown exactly how much money Boston offered Devers in the extension, but Jeff Passan reported that Devers and the Red Sox were "more than $100M" apart in expected payroll. 

Jeff Passan Reported That The Red Sox And Rafael Devers Are More Than $100 Million Apart In Contract Negotiations https://t.co/qug10ieoFj pic.twitter.com/j7u6ArMoxH

— Starting 9 (@Starting9) April 13, 2022

Devers has now given the market an idea of what he's looking for and it's not cheap. Jeff Passan recently revealed that Devers was seeking a contract valued at aroudn $300M and the Red Sox were only willing to pay $200M. 

Jeff Passan on WEEI: “Rafael Devers wants more than $300 million and the Red Sox seem to be hesitant on giving him that.” pic.twitter.com/tTtd6cp0GN

— splitterball (@splitterbaII) April 13, 2022

 For a player as young as Devers, it's not surprising that the Red Sox were hesitant to pay him as much as stars like Francisco Lindor and Bryce Harper make. That being said, Devers already has four full seasons under his belt and has finished high in MVP voting twice. Younger players are beginning to become more prominent in the MLB (look no further than Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) and Devers stands at the forefront of youngsters demanding to be paid based on their merit. 

For now, the Red Sox are paying Devers $11.2M in a one-year deal and he is under Boston's team control until the end of the 2023 season. 

Photo Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports