Did Mookie Betts, Dodgers have new contract extension in works before coronavirus?

Mookie Betts received a massive contract extension from the Los Angeles Dodgers that looks even more bold given the current economic circumstances.

Betts got 12 years and $365 million added on to his existing deal, meaning he is signed to make $392 million over 13 years.

Teams are preparing for the possibility of having limited-to-no fans in attendance this year. There are no guarantees about when teams will be able to have full capacity crowds beyond this season. That’s why the deal was startling to many in the face of so much uncertainty.

So how did Betts get such a large deal?

ESPN’s Buster Olney says that some in the industry believe the Dodgers and Betts must have been working on a contract extension prior to the league being shut down. The completion of such a deal would likely have been done as a good faith measure.

A common theory among others in the industry is that the LAD deal with Mookie Betts is so outsized in the face of financial uncertainty that the talks must've been well down the tracks, with a general understanding predating the COVID-19 shutdown. A great, great deal for Betts.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 22, 2020

The Dodgers’ desire to complete a deal with Betts is understandable given the talent he possesses.

Just 27, Betts is an MVP, four-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, batting champion (2018), and he has led the league in runs scored twice. His deal will likely leave some Red Sox fans bummed out.