Red Sox and Dustin Pedroia Talking Extension?
By Brad Rowland
According to a published report from WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford, the Boston Red Sox and All-Star second baseman Dustin Pedroia are working on a long-term contract extension that would keep him in Boston for the foreseeable future.
Bradford, quoting industry sources, relays that the two sides are making “progress” in contract talks, and that Pedroia’s negotiations actually started in the off-season. This is a bit of an interesting situation, as Pedroia is currently in only the 4th year of a 6-year deal he signed prior to the 2010 season. Aside from deals to avoid arbitration (which Pedroia already has), this type of extension would be unusual in MLB, but it appears that the team wants to lock down its cornerstone piece.
Pedroia has been one of the best second basemen in the league since he burst on to the scene in 2007. The 29-year-old has an impressive .304/.372/.459 slash line for his career, and in 2013, his numbers are even better, with a .396 on-base percentage and 57 runs scored in only 96 games.
It would be pretty wise if the Red Sox could lock him down to a below-market extension long before he reaches free agency. His counterpart at the position, New York’s Robinson Cano, is poised to seek a $200 million contract, and Pedroia is even younger than Cano with just as long of a track record. It is unclear how close the discussions are to coming to fruition, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.