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Mookie Betts Avoids Arbitration With Red Sox, Reportedly Agrees To $20 Million Salary

BOSTON (CBS) -- There will be no arbitration battle between Mookie Betts and the Boston Red Sox this year. The AL MVP and defending World Series champs have reportedly agreed on a one-year, $20 million deal for the 2019 season.

That's a huge raise for Betts, who won his arbitration case against the Red Sox last season to secure a $10.5 million salary for 2018. That was a bargain for Boston, as Betts led all of baseball with a .346 batting average to go with his 32 homers, 80 RBIs and 129 runs scored (tied for the most in baseball). The outfielder was named to his third straight All-Star game last season, and won a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award to go with his AL MVP.

Betts still has one more year of arbitration eligibility before he can become a free agent.

The Red Sox actually avoided arbitration on all 12 of their eligible players on Friday:

Not a bad day of work for Dave Dombrowski.

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