As you all have heard and read, the rumors around the Boston Red Sox have been swirling like a wildfire.
They have been rumored since November to be shopping Mookie Betts to clear payroll, but more recently have explored adding David Price to a deal to clear even more salary.
A deal that would include the two All-Stars would not just be a salary dump, rather it would be an expensive upgrade for most teams. Both players are primed for several good seasons and, with the right payroll flexibility and prospect capital, many teams should be interested.
We have mainly heard only about the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in the rumors but several other teams have called in just to ask the price and nothing more. An industry source mentioned the Astros, Cardinals, Mets, White Sox, and Reds as teams who have called. It is extremely unlikely that any of those teams come into the mainstream talks but they have been put out there.
The Rex Sox would be wise to trade both Betts and Price together to help clear up payroll and they would be improved by subtracting as they can better use their resources elsewhere. To get the best possible return, Boston would be wise to include a decent prospect to lure the trade partner into taking more money.
The Dodgers and Padres both have loaded farm systems but the Dodgers seem like the better fit for the package as the Padres have lots of young prospect capital at both pitching and outfield.
The Dodgers’ Pitch:
OF Alex Verdugo
C Keibert Ruiz
RHP Josiah Gray
OF Jared Kendall
For:
OF Mookie Betts
LHP David Price (partial retained salary)
RHP Thad Ward
The Red Sox would immediately acquire a catcher of the future in Ruiz, a future mid-rotation starter in Gray, a future powerful outfielder in Kendall, and an outfielder with power and speed that they can plug in right then in Alex Verdugo. The Dodgers would immediately boast a phenomenal rotation and outfield in all of baseball by adding Price to replace Ryu and slotting Betts as an MVP caliber leadoff hitter.
The deal makes sense for both sides and should get done if all goes right. Both teams would win the trade based on their current trajectories and Los Angeles would have a great shot to re-sign Betts after this season.
This would be a huge domino, perhaps the biggest domino of the offseason to fall in one of the more exciting off-seasons of recent memory.
