Betts agrees to 12-year extension to stay with Dodgers
Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers struck baseball’s first big-money deal since the coronavirus pandemic decimated the sport’s economics, a $365 million, 12-year contract on Wednesday through 2032 that removes the top offensive player from next offseason’s free-agent class.
The outfielder, who turns 28 in October, was acquired by the Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox on Feb. 10 along with pitcher David Price for three players.
Betts had agreed to a $27 million, one-year deal with the Red Sox, a salary that has been reduced to $10 million in prorated pay because of the shortened season.
His deal is baseball’s second-largest in total dollars behind the $426.5 million, 12-year contract for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout covering 2019-30. Betts’ average salary of $30.42 million trails Gerrit Cole ($36 million), Trout ($35.5 million), Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon ($35 million each), Zack Greinke ($34.4 million), Justin Verlander $31.3 million), and new teammates Price and Clayton Kershaw ($31 million each).
A four-time Gold Glove winner, Betts won the 2018 AL MVP award en route to Boston’s World Series title. He hit .295 with 29 homers and 80 RBIs last year, down from a major league-leading .346 average with 32 homers and 80 RBIs in his MVP season.
JAYS CAN’T PERCH IN PENNSYLVANIA >> The state of Pennsylvania won’t allow the Toronto
Blue Jays to play at PNC Park in Pittsburgh amid the coronavirus pandemic, health officials announced, becoming the latest jurisdiction to say no to the team as the baseball season begins this week.
Canada already denied the Blue Jays’ request to play in Toronto because the regular-season schedule would require frequent travel back and forth from the United States, where COVID-19 cases are surging.
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said this week his team has more than five contingency plans for a home stadium and was in talks with other teams.
MLB ALLOWS BLACK LIVES MATTER, SOCIAL JUSTICE JERSEY PATCHES >> MLB players have the option of having a patch with “Black Lives Matter” or “United For Change” on a jersey sleeve on opening day of the pandemic-delayed season.
Teams have the option of stenciling an inverted MLB logo with “BLM” or “United for Change” on the back of the pitcher’s mound during opening weekend games.
ROYALS’ DOZIER TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 >> Kansas City Royals outfielder Hunter Dozier has tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed on the injured list before the club played its final exhibition game against the Cardinals in St. Louis.
The 28-year-old is coming off a breakthrough season in which he hit 26 homers, tied for the American League lead in triples and had 84 RBIs. He is expected to play a big role for the Royals during their abbreviated 60-game season.
EXPANDED PLAYOFFS A POSSIBILITY >> Major League Baseball and the players’ association are cracking open the door to an expanded playoff with just one day left before the regular season, according to a new report.
The MLB postseason could expand from 10 teams to 16 in an effort to combat small sample size and wring revenue out of the coronavirus-shortened season, MLB.com’s Jon Heyman reported Wednesday. But the league and players have to agree before first pitch today.