FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox are hoping to avoid another Jon Lester disaster with Chris Sale.
Less than a week ago, Sale said contract extension talks had not begun.
But the Red Sox chairman, Tom Werner, said Monday the club has engaged with Sale and shortstop Xander Bogaerts, about extensions to keep two of the club’s most important players in Boston long-term.
“Conversations have been had but I don’t really want to get into any further details aside from, as I said, these are great players,” Werner said. “In a perfect world we’d love them to be with us for the rest of their careers.”
That the Sox were willing to sign Nathan Eovaldi to a four-year deal worth $68 million could have been seen as a signal of non-confidence in their willingness/ability to extend Sale, who is a free agent after the 2019 season. And David Price decided not to opt out of his deal, meaning $195 million is already committed to two pitchers from 2019 through 2022.
But with Sale and Rick Porcello entering free-agent years and the Sox without any mouth-watering starting pitcher prospects close to the big leagues, keeping Sale could be a priority.
“He’s healthy,” said the principal owner, John Henry. “He had minor issues. They were able to take their time and give him some rest at one point, but he hasn’t had any significant shoulder issues – not significant.”
The last time the Red Sox tried to engage in negotiations with their ace, it ended poorly.
Their now-infamous low-ball offer to Lester before the 2014 season destroyed their relationship and led to Lester eventually being traded mid-season, then signing with the Cubs.
“I think we blew the Jon Lester signing in spring training,” Henry said.”
• Dave Dombrowski, the president of baseball operations, has two years remaining on his five-year contract. It expires at the end of the 2020 season.
“In this day and age, it probably doesn’t make sense for your general manager to go into his final year without a contract,” Henry said. “So that would mean something should happen this year.”
GIANTS: Bruce Bochy said he will retire after this season, his 25th as a major league manager.
• Outfielders Cameron Maybin and Gerardo Parra finalized minor league contracts after passing physicals.
ANGELS: Arte Moreno, the owner, said the team has had internal discussions regarding a new contract for outfielder Mike Trout, who can become a free agent after the 2020 season.
RANGERS: Outfielder Ben Revere is in spring training after signing a Triple-A contract.
METS: Shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria agreed to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training.
CUBS: The team chairman, Tom Ricketts, apologized to the players and coaching staff at spring training for any distraction caused by offensive racist emails written by his father.
TONY CLARK, the players’ union head, criticized Commissioner Rob Manfred for blaming players’ demands for the slow free-agent market and said an increasing number of teams are making little effort to “justify the price of a ticket.”
TIGERS: Miguel Cabrera hit against a pitcher for the first time since rupturing a tendon in his left biceps on June 12.
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