Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts has prevailed in his arbitration case. Betts will earn the $10.5 million he requested in 2018, substantially more than the $7.5 million offer submitted by Boston.
Betts' $10.5 million award represents the largest award ever won by a first-year arbitration-eligible player in a hearing, topping the $10 million won by Ryan Howard in 2008. The Cubs recently signed star third baseman Kristopher Bryant to a $10.85 million deal to avoid an arbitration hearing.
Betts, 25, is one of the best two-way players in the game today, providing plenty of value both at the plate and in right field. The Tennessee native hit .264 with 24 home runs, 46 doubles and 102 RBIs for the Red Sox while helping to lead them to the 2017 American League East title, one year after he finished runner-up to Michael Trout in the '16 AL MVP vote. Betts also tied for third in Statcast™'s Outs Above Average (OAA) metric for outfielders and led all right fielders by a wide margin with 31 defensive runs saved last season.
Betts represented the Red Sox's only arbitration case this offseason.