Mookie Betts and the Boston Red Sox have found common ground.
The Red Sox and Betts avoided arbitration ahead of Friday's 1 p.m. ET deadline by agreeing to a $20 million contract for 2019, FanCred's Jon Heyman reports.
Betts' deal includes $400,000 in added incentives, according to USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale.
Mookie Betts gets $20 million from the #Redsox with 400k worth of potential awards, which he usually reaches — Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 11, 2019
The 26-year-old outfielder is nearly doubling the $10.5 million he earned last season in his first year of arbitration. He earned every penny, though, posting a .346 batting average with 32 home runs and 80 RBIs to win the American League MVP award and help Boston win a World Series title.
Betts is in his second year of arbitration and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2021, where he should be in line for a hefty payday.
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Mookie Betts could be first player to earn in excess of $400 or $500 million in two years when he hits free agency — Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 11, 2019
Betts is the fifth of 12 arbitration-eligible Red Sox players to agree to terms before the 1 p.m. ET deadline.
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