Topps Now: January 11, 2023

The first Topps Now card of 2023 is technically a 2022-2023 Offseason card.  On January 11, 2023, it was officially announced that star third-baseman Rafael Devers signed an 11-year contract extension with the Red Sox.  The deal contained no opt-out clauses.  It was the largest deal in Red Sox history.  It was an absolutely necessary move as the fans had still been reeling from losing Xander Bogaerts just two years after losing Mookie Betts. 

Devers will be 26 throughout the regular season in 2023.  He will likely still be an impact bat by the time this contract is over, though he may not still be a third-baseman.  In Devers's young career so far, he has hit .283/.342/.512 with 139 home runs, 187 doubles and 455 RBIs.  He has improved defensively and has already hit eight home runs in the postseason.

Devers is absolutely the kind of player a team builds around and Boston will keep him locked up for a long time.