Red Sox Have Time, Money to Extend Josh Beckett

Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield won't be playing out the rest of his career on a year-by-year basis after all. The Red Sox inked the No. 5 starter to a two-year deal on Monday, but what does the future of Josh Beckett -- the pitcher at the other end of the rotation -- hold?

Wakefield, who has 175 career wins with the Red Sox, now has a very good chance to pass Roger Clemens and Cy Young in club history, both of whom are tied at 192 victories apiece. The additional two years will also give the righty plenty of time to build upon his club record for most all-time losses, which currently sits at 150. 

Boston is expecting the 17-year veteran to completely rebound from offseason back surgery and become the rotation's fifth starter -- a role he thrived at prior to last season's injuries. With Wakefield holding up the tail end of the rotation, Boston once again has a dependable lineup of hurlers. However, after next season, the (righty) ace of the rotation -- Beckett -- will be able to walk should the Red Sox fail to work out an extension with him.

"This one's going to be hard because it really comes down to what Beckett is willing to take to remain in Boston," The Sports Hub's Tony Massarotti said on Monday's edition of SportsDesk. "If it's a shorter-term deal, if we're talking somewhere in the range of three years, I think there's a chance of getting it done depending on what the Red Sox want to pay him on an annual basis. But if we're talking about a salary in the range of $20 million -- and that's what some of the elite starters are getting in this day and age -- I have a hard time thinking the Red Sox are going to go to that length."

The last time the Red Sox sat down to negotiate with Beckett, the righty did take less money to remain with Boston because winning was his priority. This time around, Boston may be willing to fork over even less, especially with its abundance of arms in the farm system.