All indication are that this is entirely about Mookie wanting to test the market. Multiple reports have stressed that relationships with the Sox front office are good, and that in particular there is strong bond between Betts and Raquel Ferreira.If the Sox reset, it's fair to assume they would be right at the negotiating table with Mookie next year, right? Has there been any bad blood or just normal indicators that he'll look for the biggest contract?
Little bit of a gamble but we would all be calling Bloom brilliant if he somehow manages to field a competitive team in 2020, trade Mookie, and resign him. Yankee fans worst nightmare.
It should go without saying that getting below the tax threshold is absolutely essential if the Red Sox are going to be competitive for Mookie's services beyond 2020 and field a competitive team around him if he does resign with Boston, but the lazy narrative that this is solely about Scrooge McHenry wanting to count his billions still persists.