In what will go down as one of the easiest deci

sions of this MLB offseason Jesse Barfield Jersey , the Boston Red Sox have picked up pitcher Chris Sale's $15 million option for 2019, the team announced Tuesday.After contributing to a franchise-record 108 regular-season wins, Sale also helped Boston win its ninth World Series title.Since coming over to Boston in December 2016, Sale has been everything the Red Sox have hoped for and more. The hard-throwing southpaw has gone 29-12 with a 2.56 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in 59 starts over the course of two seasons. He finished second in American League Cy Young award voting during his first season with the team.This year, Sale went 12-4 with a 2.11 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP in 27 starts. He also went 1-0 with a 4.11 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in five postseason appearances (three starts) as Boston won its first World Series since 2013.Not only did he start Game 1 of the World Series and help the Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he also closed out the series by pitching the ninth inning of the clincher:His versatility helped him join some exclusive company, per Baseball Reference:Baseball Reference baseball_refPitchers who got the first and last out of the #worldseries:Babe Adams, 1909Ernie Shore, 1916Art Nehf, 1922Waite Hoyt, 1928Lefty Gomez, 1937Paul Derringer, 1940Spud Chandler, 1943Hal Newhouser, 1945And Chris Sale, 2018Drafted in the first round in 2010, Sale debuted that same year and has been one of the best pitchers in baseball for the better part of a decade. He has been selected to seven consecutive AL All-Star teams and has finished in the top six in AL Cy Young voting every year since he became a starter in 2012 Brett Anderson Jersey , a streak that is likely to continue this year.Part of why the Red Sox acquired Sale was the fact that he was playing out a five-year, $32.5 million deal, which included a pair of team options. While he has certainly outplayed his contract, even more now that he has helped deliver a championship, he has previously denied ever having any regrets about signing the team-friendly deal, as he told Scott Merkin of MLB.com in December 2015:"I've seen it since then, just kind of going crazy and not one part of me, and I'm being as honest as I can possibly be, there's not one part of me that is upset, sad, whatever you want to call it. Not one bit of me feels that way. I knew exactly what I was getting into at the time I was getting into it, and I could not have asked for anything more."He echoed similar sentiments on WEEI's KirkCallahan in February:"I don't worry about that crap, honestly. I have one thing to do, right? Play baseball. Pitch. Be a good teammate. Those are all kind of all wrapped into one thing as what I am as a pitcher. I am not an agent. I am not an owner. I am not a general manager, so I know basically nothing about contracts. If and when that happens, all of them can take care of that. I am worried about baseball."It's possible Sale and the Red Sox could agree on an extension before Opening Day, but as of now http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-george-bell-jersey , he will enter the 2019 season in the final year of his contract. That would give him a chance to test free agency at 30 years old. The biggest mystery in Major League Baseball ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline is the status of Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer.The interest around the 29-year-old is intensifying by the hour, but there's no guarantee a deal will get done due to Tampa Bay's high asking price.Zack Wheeler and the New York Mets could be in a similar situation as Tuesday's deadline approaches, as the National League East bottom feeders attempt to get as much as they can in exchange for the 28-year-old.In addition to Archer and Wheeler, there are a handful of relief pitchers still on the market who could help contending teams, while most of the marquee position players on the trade market have been dealt.Below is a look at the latest buzz surrounding Archer, Wheeler and others. Handful Of Teams Chasing Archer Despite UncertaintyThe teams interested in Archer are taking quite the gamble as the time to close deals dwindles.Although there's no guarantee Archer is completely available on the trade market, Atlanta, San Diego, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are showing serious interest, per Marc Topkin of theTampa Bay Times.According to Topkin, St. Louis and Pittsburgh are among a group of close to 12 teams that have expressed some type of interest in Archer, but the Braves, Padres and Yankees have the best chances to land the starting pitcher because of their deep farm systems.In preparation for a potential deal, the Rays scouted Yankees top prospect Justus Sheffield Saturday, but according to Joel Sherman of theNew York Post,they have a slim chance of bringing in another player from American League East rival:Joel Sherman Joelsherman1#Rays have 2 scouts watching Justus Sheffield tonight, but 1 is regular coverage. Still hearing that it is a long shot #Yankees end up with Archer. They are monitoring. But #Padres and others are pursuing in stronger way. Remains uncertain if Archer will even be moved.If the Padres were involved in a pennant race Dave Winfield Jersey , it would make sense for them to go all in for Archer by sending some of their top prospects to the Rays.However, that isn't the case at the moment, and any potential deal between Tampa Bay and San Diego would have the Padres' long-term future in mind since Archer is under team control until 2021.The Braves and Yankees would be ideal destinations for Archer, but the Yankees might have to pay a higher price because the Rays would be dealing with a divisional foe and would still have to face Archer.If the teams in the mix for Archer aren't willing to pay a hefty price, the market could develop more in the offseason when teams with less urgency to win pop into the picture.Even though Tuesday's deadline is on the horizon, no one is quite sure of Tampa Bay's intentions, which could lead to plenty of drama as time ticks down Tuesday afternoon. Mets Setting High Price For WheelerThe Mets have been in a peculiar position over the last weeks, as they've been willing to trade some players but have been more stingy with others.Given the recent success of Wheeler, the Mets are hiking up the price, which has led to no significant offers, per Fancred's Jon Heyman:Joel Sherman Joelsherman1#Rays have 2 scouts watching Justus Sheffield tonight, but 1 is regular coverage. Still hearing that it is a long shot #Yankees end up with Archer. They are monitoring. But #Padres and others are pursuing in stronger way. Remains uncertain if Archer will even be moved.If a deal involving Wheeler occurs, it will produce a much larger haul than the recent trades of Jeurys Familia to Oakland and Asdrubal Cabrera to Philadelphia.If a team prises Wheeler away from the Big Apple, it will receive a starter coming off two of his best starts of the season.Two days before the All-Star break, Wheeler gave upfour earned runs in 7.2 innings of work against the Washington Nationals.Wheeler improved on those numbers July 24, as he tossed seven innings against the Padres in which he let up four hits and two earned runs.You can't blame the Mets for setting Wheeler's price high because of his last two starts and the demand for starters on the trade market.At this point in time, a deal doesn't look like it will get done Jack Morris Jersey , but a desperate contender could always come in with an offer the Mets can't refuse.Contenders Talking to Rangers About KelaTexas Rangers closer Keone Kela could be the next reliever to be dealt.The Dodgers and Braves, both of whom are in search of bullpen upgrades, are at the forefront of the discussions regarding Kela, per MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.With 24 saves in 38 appearances, a 3.44 ERA and 1.145 WHIP, Kela could produce a nice return of prospects for the Rangers while improving the late-inning pitching of the team he ends up with.Brandon Wade/Associated PressThe Dodgers made the first splash of the July trade market by bringing in Manny Machado from Baltimore, but they still need to provide Kenley Jensen with help in the latter innings of games.Kela is one of a few relievers who could be an ideal fit for the Dodgers, but in order to bring the 25-year-old over to the National League, they might have to give up more young players than they want.Atlanta isn't in desperate need of a reliever after acquiring Jonny Venters from Tampa Bay and Brad Brach from Baltimore, but you can never have too many power arms in the bullpen.How much the Braves chase after Kela could be determined by their interest in Archer and other players in positions of need.If the Braves back away in an attempt to improve another facet of their roster, the Dodgers could be in prime position to swoop up Kela.Follow Joe on Twitter, JTansey90Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference