Boston Red Sox will discuss contract extensions during spring training; Rafael Devers, Eduardo Rodriguez among top candidates for long-term deals

The Red Sox are likely to discuss long-term contract extensions with some of their young players during spring training, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said Sunday. The club has already discussed some possibilities internally and plans to hold talks with players before Opening Day.

“I expect, as we get into that spring, that those conversations will pick up,” Bloom said. “Don’t know what it will lead to, obviously. If and when they do pick up, it’s not something we’re going to speak publicly about unless there’s something to report. This is a time when a lot of those things often happen so I would expect we’d at least have some conversations about it with some guys.”

Boston has plenty of extension candidates on its roster. Two key pitchers—Eduardo Rodriguez and Matt Barnes—are free agents after the season and both have previously expressed interest in signing new deals and the Red Sox have expressed their desire to lock up third baseman Rafael Devers, who is under contract through 2023. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who signed a six-year extension two years ago, can opt out after 2022, so Boston might want to lock him in by offering a new deal worth more than the $60 million he’s due to earn from 2023 to 2025.

Outfielder Alex Verdugo (controlled through 2024) and lefty Darwinzon Hernandez (controlled through 2025) haven’t reached arbitration yet, but the Red Sox are high on both players and could look to commit to them.