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Red Sox ownership has finally gotten their wish, as two of the team’s best but also most highly paid players are being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, per several reports this evening.
Boston was known to be shopping Betts, who is on the final year of his rookie contract that will pay out $27 million this season, as well as the should-have-been World Series MVP David Price and his three remaining seasons.
This is great news for the Rays overall, but in packaging them together the Red Sox are most assuredly receiving “salary relief” as part of the trade value.
As a consequence the trade return is likely to be limited to Alex Verdugo as the key piece, without a complementary chip from the Dodgers deep top-ten prospects.
The news is evolving, with the added wrinkle of possibly two other teams getting in on the traded so we will update as things move along!
Both Mookie Betts and David Price would head to Los Angeles if #RedSox and #Dodgers complete their blockbuster, a source tells The Athletic. Alex Verdugo would be centerpiece for Boston. Deal could be in place tonight, per @alexspeier. Would require completion of medical reviews.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 5, 2020
The last time the Red Sox traded a player with 40+ career WAR before their 27th birthday...Babe Ruth
— Michael Dyer (@Mike_Dyer13) February 5, 2020
UPDATE 1
Twins and Angels may or may not be involved, with the Twins facilitating Punto 2.0...
The Minnesota Twins are the third team in the blockbuster deal with the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers if it passes medical reviews as expected, sources tell @kileymcd and me.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 5, 2020
And the Angels making a play for Price.
Joc Pederson would go from #Dodgers to #Angels if blockbuster is completed, source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 5, 2020
UPDATE 2
Nope! David Price gets to stay in Chavez Ravine. Here’s the trade:
Too many people to credit, but it looks like this is the deal:
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) February 5, 2020
Red Sox get: OF Alex Verdugo, RHP Brusdar Graterol
Dodgers get: OF Mookie Betts, LHP David Price, cash
Twins get: RHP Kenta Maeda
And here’s what that Angels were up to... old friend alert again!
Infielder Luis Rengifo is headed to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a deal for outfielder Joc Pederson, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 5, 2020
That’s... not pitching! Perhaps the Angels will look to move, say, Justin Upton next.
Either way, the biggest winner tonight?
Even after the Mookie Betts' deal is done, with the Red Sox eating a ton of money on Price contract, the greatest $ obligation the Dodgers have in baseball ops will likely be to an exec, Andrew Friedman. No individual player owed $50m+.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 5, 2020
Amazing.
UPDATE 3
The Angels side of things suddenly makes a lot more sense
Sources confirm: RHP Ross Stripling heading to #Angels along with OF Joc Pederson in deal with #Dodgers. IF Luis Rengifo going to Dodgers, other players involved. First on Stripling: @BNightengale.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 5, 2020