Los Angeles Dodgers landed a star in Mookie Betts when they signed him for 12 years worth $365 million.
The outfielder's signing with Los Angeles went through a lengthy discussion on the player's part, and that was because his former team Boston Red Sox made an almost similar and shorter offer.
Reports revealed that Betts turned down a 10-year, $300 million deal, an offer Betts found hard to reject.
"It was really hard, but also really easy," Betts said as a guest on former teammate Brock Holt's show Foul Territory.
"Really hard because I saw the paper that they sent over with the numbers on it and looking at that. It was like 'I'm good for the rest of my life'. Actually saying no to that was really, really hard ... Once I was able to learn to say no, it was still hard, but easy because I had already said no to this a couple times and I had to kind of bet on myself."
Betts' old dream of retiring with Boston
Another reason why Betts found it hard to reject his original team Boston Red Sox with whom he played for five years, was his dream of becoming a legend there.
"I know people don't believe it," he said.
"But I wanted to stay in Boston my whole career. That's where I grew up. That's my life. I knew everybody there. It was a short flight to Nashville. Like, everything was perfect."
While that was the plan, he clarified that he and his family learned to love the city of angels, even calling his rejection of Boston a "blessing in disguise."
Career-wise, Betts has made it to the All-Star in all the years he's had with Dodgers so far.
Did he make the right call?
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