The Boston Red Sox announced Monday that they have agreed to a six-year contract extension with shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
Bogaerts' new contract spans the 2020-2025 seasons and has a vesting option for the 2026 season, per the Red Sox.
Evan Drellich of WEEI first reported the news Sunday, with Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reporting the deal is worth $120 million. Joel Sherman of the New York Post added the agreement has an opt-out clause after the third season.
This continues a pattern of notable players signing extensions this offseason. Gabe Lacques of USA Today noted 22 players signed extensions rather than wait for free agency before the Bogaerts discussions, and called the proliferation of such moves a response to a "broken" free-agency system.
Pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel are still unsigned, and even sluggers Bryce Harper and Manny Machado had a small handful of teams interested in them before signing with the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, respectively.
Mike Trout, Justin Verlander, Chris Sale, Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Jacob deGrom, Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, Kyle Hendricks and Eloy Jimenez were among those who recently signed contract extensions.
As for Bogaerts, he already has two World Series crowns and an All-Star appearance (2016) since coming into the league with the Red Sox in 2013. He also won Silver Sluggers in 2015 and 2016 and impressed last year with a .288/.360/.522 slash line, 23 home runs and 103 RBI.
He is only 26 years old, and Boston is on the brink of ensuring he will be part of a core that will look to add more World Series titles in the coming years.
It's the second time in eight days that the team has made a big commitment to a player who helped it win a third consecutive AL East title and fourth World Series since the beginning of 2004. Ace left-hander Chris Sale signed a $145 million extension for five years on March 22.
Reigning AL MVP Mookie Betts is eligible for salary arbitration after this season and for free agency after 2020, when he will be just 28. He will earn $20 million this year.
