Whether or not he’s willing to admit it directly, Mookie Betts is impacted by what happened to Bryce Harper at the negotiating table.
Harper reportedly ended his lengthy free agency Thursday by inking a massive 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. Since rumored offers started pouring in for Harper, many wondered how it might set the market for the Boston Red Sox star, who will be a free agent after the 2020 season.
Shortly after news of Harper’s new contract broke, Betts was asked for his thoughts. His response was pretty simple.
Mookie Betts on Bryce Harper's 13-year, $330-million contract: "He deserves it. That and more."
— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) February 28, 2019
Harper is one of many players who have signed new deals in recent weeks, with Manny Machado and Nolan Arenado also getting some pretty lucrative deals. When asked if that gave him an idea of what he might one day fetch, Betts wasn’t so sure.
Mookie Betts asked if Harper, Arenado and Machado contracts gives him a sense of what landscape looks like for him: "No, not really. We're all different players. .. We all have different things that are important. So like I said, good for those guys. They deserve it."
— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) February 28, 2019
It certainly will be interesting to see what Betts is able to command once he starts fully engaging in contract negotiations.
