Mookie Betts trade on hold after Red Sox find issue with Brusdar Graterol medicals
The massive trade between the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins is on hold after Boston reportedly discovered issues with Brusdar Graterol’s medical records.
The three teams agreed to a trade that was reported on Tuesday. The deal would send 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts, former Cy Young Award winner David Price, and cash from Boston to the Dodgers. The Dodgers would send outfielder Alex Verdugo to Boston, and pitcher Kenta Maeda to Minnesota. The Red Sox were set to get Graterol from Minnesota as part of the deal, but there is a snag.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox saw issues when reviewing Graterol’s medical history and changed their projection of him from a possible starter to a reliever. Rosenthal says Boston may change the amount of money they pay to the Dodgers for taking Price’s contract (reported as being half of the $96 million the pitcher is owed), or ask for another player.
The issue is not expected to prevent the deal from being completed, ESPN’s Jeff Passan says.
Graterol is a 21-year-old pitcher from Venezuela. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2016 and missed part of last season with a shoulder impingement.
The reaction from Boston is strange considering the Twins had Graterol working as a relief pitcher, and most prospect profiles of him also listed him as a reliever. That has led some skeptics to figure that Boston wasn’t “spooked” by Graterol’s medicals so much as they want to save face on a trade for which they were crucified.
