Boston insider says Mookie Betts about to sign massive extension with Dodgers

Rumor has it, Mookie Betts is about to commit to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a very long time.

Even with the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic looming, Dodgers fans have to feel excited about the upcoming season. Among the many reasons for optimism is new star outfielder Mookie Betts, who has already been mashing homers in preseason play. The Red Sox seemed hesitant to sign Betts to the massive deal he was looking for and shipped him to the Los Angeles Dodgers in February, a move that was hugely disappointing and frustrating to the Boston faithful.

Betts is playing on the last year of his deal and the Dodgers have been working to make sure they didn’t trade for a one-year rental. Now Lou Merloni, now radio personality and former Red Sox second baseman, is saying he’s heard that a deal is coming soon.

Where would Mookie Betts’ deal rank among the biggest contracts in baseball?

If those numbers Merloni quoted are correct it would be the second-largest contract in MLB history, behind Mike Trout’s 12-year, $426 million deal with the Angels, and the third-largest contract in all of American sports. Both Trout and Betts would still be making less than Patrick Mahomes on the 12-year, $500 million contract he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this month.

Betts is a former MVP and four-time Gold Glove winner who has produced 42.0 WAR over the past decade, second-most of any outfielder. What’s even more remarkable is that he didn’t begin his MLB career until 2014, which means he accumulated that total in just six seasons.

The Dodgers are currently World Series favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook, a position they could hold for years to come with Betts in place.