The Los Angeles Dodgers have pulled off a huge trade that solidifies their status as a World Series contender.
The Dodgers on Tuesday acquired Mookie Betts and David Price from the Boston Red Sox. Boston reportedly is agreeing to pay cash to facilitate the trade. A third team, the Minnesota Twins, are also involved in the deal.
The Red Sox are getting Alex Verdugo back from the Dodgers, and Brusdar Graterol, a young relief pitcher, from the Twins.
Minnesota gets Kenta Maeda from the Dodgers to help their pitching rotation.
The Dodgers are the clear big winners. They get a year of Betts, who is a premier outfielder and all-around player. They also may have an advantage entering his free agency after the season; Betts is known to be seeking top dollar, and the Dodgers are one of the few teams that may be willing to pay him.
The Dodgers also get Price for the three remaining season he is under contract. Price only pitched 107.1 innings last season and is making $32 million, but if the Red Sox are paying a part of that down, Price is still effective enough to be worth it.
The Red Sox are clearly signaling they don’t believe they are a contender, which is hard to believe just two seasons after winning the World Series. They are looking to achieve financial flexibility and have added Verdugo, a 23-year-old outfielder who batted .294 with an .817 OPS last season, and doesn’t hit free agency until 2025. Graterol is only 21 and is said to have some great stuff.
And in a league of haves and have-nots, the Twins are firmly in the contender category. They signed Josh Donaldson, Rich Hill, Tyler Clippard, Homer Bailey and have added Maeda, who will be a quality starter for them.
The Dodgers remain the class of the NL West; the Red Sox are unlikely to be a top-end AL team this season but will be better in the future; and the Twins will be the class of the AL Central.
