MLB News: The ‘million-dollar’ tax that is costing the best free agents to the Red Sox

The versatile Puerto Rican Boston Red Sox’s Kiké Hernández accepted his one-year, $10 million contract for 2023 in September, before the new tax was approved. That played no role in his contract negotiations.

But this offseason, agents who have negotiated with the Red Sox say they are taking the million-dollar tax into account when considering offers. The Sox, multiple agents said, are now teaming up with teams in California and New York to outperform clubs in more benign fiscal environments. (particularly Texas and Florida, where there is no state income tax) to make matching offers, one agent said:

Any good agent will take this into account. It’s big business. There are potentially millions of dollars at stake. It absolutely contributes to our decision-making process.”

The Red Sox have said they are open to moving Hernandez back to the center infield while they consider a lineup without Xander Bogaerts, who signed with the San Diego Padres. How is Hernández preparing for the season? Hernandez, whose favorite position is shortstop, said, adding that he continues to get ground balls:

As we are now, as the team is on paper, I understand that being in midfield is the best for the team. So every day I prepare to play midfield. But I didn’t throw away my infield glove.”

hernandez had been training with Bogaerts in Arizona in the weeks leading up to his decision to sign with San Diego. While he was saddened to see an All-Star friend and collaborator leave the Red Sox, he couldn’t disapprove of Bogaert’s decision.

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As much as it hurts to lose this guy, I’m also really happy for him because he’s a friend. These people will become your family. If your family member makes $120 million more in one place than another, be happy for that person.”

Raphael Martinez

I am a fan of the King of Sports, especially the Boston Red Sox in MLB and in general all of Mexican baseball. This profession has given me the opportunity to cover big events such as the Caribbean Series, LMB All Star, LMP (uninterrupted since 2009), important players’ signatures. I had the chance to attend the 2013 World Classic in Arizona, USA, albeit as an amateur. Apart from this beautiful sport, I love basketball, where I have also narrated games and even an NBA friendly 10 years ago, but baseball is in my veins. Graduated in Communication Sciences from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (UAS). , from which I graduated in 2011. I was born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa and started in the world of sports journalism in 2004 in the newspaper El Sol de Mazatlán, where I was a baseball columnist and reporter at the same time. In January 2009 I arrived at El Debate as a journalist reporter and it took almost six years (in the first stage), until in November 2014 I emigrated to radio, providing my services at Línea Directa-Grupo RSN. My cycle there ended in July 2019 and a few days later, El Debate gave me another opportunity to work and opened the doors for me again. That is how I came to Al Bat, where I have been since 2019 as a web journalist.

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