Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox have important decisions coming up. With a lot of turnover happening, Devers' impending contract extension (or lack thereof) has become the biggest decision either party has to make.Ahead of that, the two sides have come to an agreement to avoid arbitration, according to Jeff Passan.Jeff Passan@JeffPassanThird baseman Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $17.5 million deal to avoid arbitration, sources tell ESPN.This does not stop the sides from reaching a long-term contract extension. The fact that the sides got this deal done shows discussions.5590628Third baseman Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $17.5 million deal to avoid arbitration, sources tell ESPN.This does not stop the sides from reaching a long-term contract extension. The fact that the sides got this deal done shows discussions.Passan tweeted:"Third baseman Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $17.5 million deal to avoid arbitration, sources tell ESPN. This does not stop the sides from reaching a long-term contract extension. The fact that the sides got this deal done shows discussions."The deal is worth nearly $18 million per season, which is probably substantially lower than an eventual contract extension would be. Regardless, it is a temporary good sign in a saga that may end very poorly for Boston fans.Despite reaching this agreement, MLB fans don't believe it matters in the long run. The expectation from many of them is that Devers is still leaving, whether via trade or free agency.j a k e@Ryyzoh@JeffPassan Cub by July26@JeffPassan Cub by JulyRyan 🦌🧀@BrewPack8@JeffPassan Great now he can be traded to the brewers finally16@JeffPassan Great now he can be traded to the brewers finallyJonny's Lasagna ⚾️@JLasagna43@JeffPassan He is a Yankee in 202456@JeffPassan He is a Yankee in 2024Jordan Moore@iJordanMoore@JeffPassan we have been led astray882@JeffPassan we have been led astray https://t.co/CjcAA0MM3wBo Knows⚾️&🥋@bosummers28@JeffPassan Now they can trade him….4@JeffPassan Now they can trade him….Dusty Baker@DustyBakerTV@JeffPassan If the Red Sox don’t extend Devers that will be as big of a failure from the front office as trading away Mookie was831@JeffPassan If the Red Sox don’t extend Devers that will be as big of a failure from the front office as trading away Mookie wasSteve Buchanan@SBuchanan24@JeffPassan57318@JeffPassan https://t.co/GceNgUhlEqFoolish Baseball@FoolishBB@JeffPassan you bastard6694@JeffPassan you bastardToasted@Toasted_6@JeffPassan Jeff I was so happy then so depressed.19@JeffPassan Jeff I was so happy then so depressed.Jasper@Mac2KB@JeffPassan I GOT EXCITED THINKING IT WAS LONG TERM IVE BEEN BROKEN SO MANY TIMES26@JeffPassan I GOT EXCITED THINKING IT WAS LONG TERM IVE BEEN BROKEN SO MANY TIMESFor many, this one-year contract is a formality and only means Devers is in the red and white for another year.Passan pointed out that it means the two sides have been in contact and there is at least a desire to remain together for now, but that doesn't seem to matter much to pessimistic MLB fans.What would a Rafael Devers contract look like?Whether it's with the Boston Red Sox or someone else, Rafael Devers is going to get paid a lot of money. He's been an All-Star player since the beginning and is very young.In 2020, Anthony Rendon received a seven-year, $245 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Rendon was a good player, but if he got that contract, the deal for Devers will be even bigger.Where will Rafael Devers go?It would not be surprising to see the currently 26-year-old get a 13-year, $468 million contract at $36 million AAV. The Red Sox won't pay that, so the deal there might be substantially lower, but a massive contract is more than possible.