We knew they were talking. But where would it go? Wednesday early evening, we found out.
Devers is clearly ready to bet on himself with two seasons sitting between him and free agency. That was never great news for the Red Sox.
While Devers has always shied away from any Mookie Betts comparisons, he is clearly executing the Mookie Betts way of doing things as his major league clock keeps ticking. No hard feelings. This is just business.
This is a reality we were reminded of with the latest news of another year without an extension.
So, why is there no celebratory press conference in the bowels of Yankee Stadium, announcing Devers' will not be hitting free agency after the 2023 season? Go back to his conversation with WEEI.com on March 23.
Here are his quotes after agreeing to his one-year, $11.2 million deal:
"It was tough, obviously, having to go back and forth about what my worth was because we have other guys they were saying, ‘This is what they are slotted at.’ But I was like, ‘That’s not me. I’m a different player and I know the type of player that I am.’ That’s really what it was."
"We all want to make a lot more money because of the performance and what we do for the team. That’s something that may be hard at first, but you know you’re worth and I know my worth. What it comes down to is I know the type of money I should be making, so that’s what I’m focused on."
"I’m not focused on what other guys are making or what they are doing. I’m more focused on what I’m doing on the field and what I’m worth. That’s why when it comes to those type of talks where they are trying to compare different types of players that doesn’t matter me because I know who I am and that’s what I focus on."
Simply put, Devers doesn't want comparisons to players at his positions. He doesn't want to look at other players his age who might have bought out arbitration years. At this point in the game - with free agency tantalizingly close - he flat-out wants to be viewed as one of the best players in the game.
Don't be throwing out suggestions that he won't be a third baseman in a few years, or that linking him up with the likes of Manny Machado (who signed a 10-year, $300 million deal at 26 years old) or Nolan Arenado (8 years, $260 million at 27 years old) doesn't work because of the defensive difference.
Devers firmly believes he is going to be good enough defensively, and more than good enough offensively. And judging by what we have witnessed in the past few weeks, it's a prediction that is hard to argue with.
One hypothesis - without the aid of any sources or inside information - would suggest that Devers' target is something closer to Bryce Harper, who signed a 13-year deal for $330 million, than the Jose Ramirez deal (5 years, $125 million) announced yesterday.
At this point of the game, the Red Sox simply aren't going to be saving themselves financially with a Devers extension. That window inexplicably came and went a while ago. You are going to need to be paying this player free agent dollars even though he officially doesn't enter that world until after next season.
Maybe the offer changes, allowing for that last-minute presser. But as we sit here, the path to getting a deal done doesn't seem all that complicated. Uncomfortable? Yes. Complicated. No.
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