The Boston Red Sox want Mookie Betts around for the long haul. Or do they?
The Red Sox raised some doubts over the weekend when Twitter users noticed the All-Star outfielder had been removed from the season-ticket section of the team's website.
Considering Betts is entering his final year of arbitration and will demand a massive contract in 2020, now would be the time for Boston trade Betts, and many wondered if this subtle change was a sign that the Red Sox were ready to move on from the former American League MVP.
Then Monday came, and with it an effusive tweet from the Red Sox wishing Betts a happy 27th birthday.
A team wishing its (still-employed) player a happy birthday on Twitter obviously is standard practice. But the trade winds around Betts have been picking up recently, and Twitter users couldn't resist piling on.
If the Red Sox trade Betts, you heard it from these random Twitterers first.
Red Sox fans also used the tweet to suggest a certain birthday present the team could give its star player.
That contract could run the Red Sox $35 million per year, which would be a huge squeeze on their already-bloated payroll. So, whether Betts is still a Red Sox when 28 rolls around is anyone's guess.
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