All you need to know about Rafael Devers' $313,500,000 contract with Boston Red Sox

Rafael Devers pumped more power into the Boston Red Sox ’s lineup by signing a humongous $313,500,000 contract that will cover his finances for the next ten years. The 9-season loyal player who got replaced by Alex Bregman at 3B and given the position of Designated Hitter in the Red Sox’s starting lineup proved to be deadly with his 4 for 4 performance against the Cardinals in a doubleheader sweep.


As the player seems more determined than ever to prove 2025 is his year, let’s examine the details of his contract with the Boston Red Sox.

Here are the details of Rafael Devers’s contract with Boston Red Sox

Rafael Devers’s contract with the Boston Red Sox is one of the biggest contract extensions agreed upon in MLB history. The designated hitter for the Red Sox agreed to a 10-year, $313,500,000 contract, which will earn him a base salary of $27,500,000 in 2025. It also includes a signing bonus of $500,000.

The #RedSox today signed third baseman Rafael Devers to a 10-year contract extension that spans the 2024-33 seasons.

— Red Sox (@RedSox) January 11, 2023

In 2023, Rafael Devers signed a one-year, $17.5 million contract, but both moved to a long-term deal with a deferred pay arrangement. The 10-year contract became effective in 2024 and will cover the years 2024-2034, following which he will enter the free agency market. The year 2025 marks the second year of his deal with the Red Sox.


Boston Red Sox offered contract with deferred payments to reduce load


One of the most important terms of the Boston Red Sox’s contract with Rafael Devers is the deferrals. The deferred payments clause has helped the Red Sox offload the cost appreciably. As a result of deferred pay terms, the present-day contract value has been reduced to $291,526,861.


The Red Sox owe to pay $7,500,000 every year from 2034 to 2043 when Devers will turn 46. This payment cycle will start after the contract ends in 2033.


Annual payroll salary details outlined in Red Sox’s contract with Devers

Rafael Devers entered the salary arbitration stage in 2021. His salary has surged progressively throughout his association with the Red Sox. The player saw a huge leap in earnings in 2021 when his salary shot up to $4.5 million from $692,500 in 2020, when he got the pro-rata salary due to a trimmed season. The player is yet to go back to his 2019 season’s performance when he hit 32 homers and scored 115 RBIs; however, he commands a hefty price tag and has secured his future with a long-term deal.

Rafael Devers refusing position switch after Alex Bregman signing in Red Sox mess https://t.co/rXtljL60dx pic.twitter.com/tM8BhvLGqJ

— New York Post (@nypost) February 17, 2025

Year-wise average salary details as per the Red Sox’s contract are as follows:

• 2021 - $4,575,000

• 2022- $11,200,000

• 2023 - $17,500,000

• 2024 to 2026 - $20,000,000

• 2027 to 2030 - $23,500,000

• 2031 to 2033 - $21,500,000

Devers proved a bit costly to the Red Sox, as the former third baseman ended up on the injured list due to a shoulder injury in 2024. Initially, Devers refrained from taking up the designated hitter position and expressed a desire to be at 3B, a spot the Red Sox gave to Alex Bregman. However, he changed his stance later and agreed to play whatever position the team offered. Devers is currently handling the DH position on the Red Sox roster. He recently made a record of the most strikeouts in the first three games of the season with 10 strikeouts.


Also Read: “Ready to play”: Rafael Devers settles third base war with Alex Bregman