Red Sox, Mookie Betts reach $20 million settlement, avoid arbitration with 11 others

The third time, apparently, was the charm for the Red Sox and Mookie Betts.

Two years ago, before Betts first qualified for salary arbitration, the team renewed -- that is, unilaterally imposed -- his salary for the 2017 season.

Last year, the two sides couldn't reach an agreement and went to an arbitration hearing, with Betts ($10.5 million) prevailing over the club (which had filed at $7.5 million).

But this year, with less than an hour before the two sides were due to exchange figures and head to arbitration again, Betts and the Sox reached a settlement for $20 million, according to baseball sources.

It was a fruitful day altogether for the Red Sox, who reached agreement with the remainder of their salary-arbitration players, getting deals done --dating back to December -- with all 12 players who were eligible.

BSJ Analysis

The $20 million figure is the third-highest single-season salary for an arbitration-eligible player ever, trailing only Josh Donaldson ($23 million) and Bryce Harper ($21.6 million). It's also the highest salary ever for a player before his final year of salary arbitration. Both Donaldson and Harper were in the final seasons of arbitration eligibility, when players are allowed to use comparisons to free agent players.

The deal is good for 2019 only. It also does nothing, in the short-term, to address the Red Sox' desire to get Betts, the 2018 AL MVP, extended past the 2020 season when he'll become eligible for free agency.

But at the very least, it shows an ability for the two sides to reach some common ground and negotiate between one another, which could spur a bigger contract extension down the road.

It also buys some time for the Red Sox to resume contract talks on a longer-term deal.

Had Betts and the Sox failed to settle today, they would put talks on hold as they prepared for a hearing, to be held later this month or early next month. The Sox have instituted a policy of "file-and-trial,'' in which they stop negotiating once figures are exchanged and commit to having the case heard.

With 2019 out of the way, the Sox now have some time to approach Betts's representatives and attempt to get an extension done.

The $20 million figure for 2019 means Betts can, at the very least, expect to qualify for a 2020 salary of $30 million. He'll reap a raise of nearly 100 percent from a year ago.

The settlement figure also establishes a baseline for the AAV (average annual contract) of any long-term contract, which must now start at $30 million.

In all likelihood, Betts and his representatives will want to see what current free agents Harper and Manny Machado get on the open market before commencing serious extension talks.

Betts wasn't the only arbitration-eligible Red Sox player to reach a settlement on Friday.

The Sox also worked out last-minute agreements with shortstop Xander Bogaerts ($12 million); outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. ($8.55 million); catcher Sandy Leon ($2.475 million); infielder Brock Holt ($3.575 million); pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez ($4.3 million), Matt Barnes ($1.6 million); and Brandon Workman ($1.15 million), and catcher Blake Swihart ($910,000).

Those deals and others reached over the winter - Tyler Thornburg ($1.75 million); Heath Hembree ($1.3125 million); Steven Wright ($1.375 million) -- mean the Red Sox will no arbitration cases this off-season.