Red Sox Notebook: With David Price now set, is extending Chris Sale next for the Red Sox?

Now that the Red Sox now David Price is returning for four more years, it may be time for the team to turn its attention to Chris Sale.

Sale had his 2019 option (worth $15 million) picked up Tuesday, but is eligible for free agency after next year. It would behoove the Sox to get to work on an extension for Sale this winter so that they don't risk losing him a year from now.

"We haven't had any conversations about any contracts thus far,'' said principal owner John Henry. "I haven't talked to Dave (Dombrowski, president of baseball operations). We've been focused, like the players, on one thing. I've never seen a year (like this) where there was no talk about contracts, no talk about media. All that will be discussed.''

In the past, the Sox have reservations about giving long-term deals to pitchers in their 30s, citing the poor track record on such deals. Occasionally, they've broken with their philosophical opposition, as they did when they signed Price to a record-setting seven-year, $217 million deal, but that came a year after they were reluctant to get into the bidding for Jon Lester, who instead signed a long-term deal with the Chicago Cubs.

Sale will turn 30 in March, before the 2019 season begins.

"We signed David when he was 30,'' Henry pointed out. "Everyone has, sooner or later, an age issue. But look at what this team accomplished with older players, younger players. Steve Pearce is 35, I think. Where would be without Steve?''

Asked if extending Sale would be a priority this winter, Henry responded: "This winter? Again, it's something I have to discuss with Dave about timing and all that stuff. We have the same issue, we're running out of time with Dave Dombrowski as well. So there are a lot of things to discuss this winter.''

Dombrowski, who joined the Sox in August of 2015, signed for five full seasons after that, meaning his current contract runs through the end of 2020.

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Among the other players eligible for free agency include Pearce, a mid-season acquisition from the Toronto Blue Jays, who went on to be named MVP of the World Series with three homers and a bases-clearing double in the final two games in Los Angeles.

Told that Price had announced his intention to remain with the Sox, Pearce said: "I'm stoked. David Price is one of the best pitchers in baseball. I hope I get the chance to come back here and be his teammate this year. Of course (I want to come back). We just won a world championship. We have a great team. Heck yeah, I want to come back next year.''

Prior to boarding the duck boats, Pearce said: "I want to be able to sit back and try to soak it all in. This is for the fans. It's going to be a cool experience. I'm just going to take it all in right now.''

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Ian Kinsler, who just finished his 13th season and has played more than 1,800 regular season games in the big leagues, is still trying to process the fact that he was part of a World Series winning team.

"It's a bunch of feeling rolled into one,'' said Kinsler. "For me, I just reflect on what it took to get here and just how lucky I was to be traded (to the Red Sox at the non-waiver trade deadline). Dave wanted me at the deadline and Alex (Cora) wanted me at the deadline. Just to be a part of this special team. It's been a pleasure. It's been a great trip. It was a lot of fun to be part of it.''

Three days after winning the clincher Sunday, Kinsler said it still hasn't quite sunk in.

"It comes and it goes throughout the day,'' Kinsler said. "You get a flood of emotions. You get a moment of silence, maybe when you're driving in the car and you start thinking about it all. Then it kind of goes away and you remember it a couple of hours later. You try to reflect on everything. It's a great moment. It's so fun to be part of it. It's awesome that it's here in Boston, a place that I love to play. It was a great, great year.''

Ultimately, Kinsler has to decide what he's going to do next, but for now, he's in no hurry.

"I'm going to hold onto this (feeling) for a while,'' he said. "Free agency, it is what it is. It's really out of my control. The teams make a decision on players, however they do it. It's very tough to peg. Whatever happens in free agency, happens. I want to continue playing. I think I have a lot of baseball left in me. I feel great. My body feels great. But outside of that, I'm holding onto this moment for as long as I can.''

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Mookie Betts was still glowing in the immediate aftermath of the championship.

"(These last few days) have been amazing.'' Betts said. "Everybody's been very welcoming, obviously, excited. It's something I'll never forget, for sure.''

Betts was drafted by the Red Sox out of high school and has been part of the organization since 2011. As such, he may have more of an appreciation for what took place in L.A., since he's worked his way through the minor league system and been a part of the Sox for the past eight years.

"I'm sure I probably imagined (what it would be like to win a World Series),'' he said, "and wanted to be a part of it, obviously. I knew it would take some work. A lot of things have to line up for it to work out. I got on a ballclub with a great manager for it all to work out and then we had to go execute it. It's one of those things where the stars aligned, you know?''

Betts admitted that he hasn't been able to put the whole season in perspective.

"Not yet,'' he said. "Everything's been moving too fast. Once you get home and get kind of settled, I'm sure I take a step back and kind of reflect and enjoy the memories that I have. Right now, it's kind of moving too fast. I'm looking forward to this parade. I know it's going to be a great thing for the city.''