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Mookie Betts & David Price Traded from Boston to LA Dodgers

Introduction

Mookie Betts & David Price Traded from Boston to LA Dodgers

A blockbuster Major League Baseball three team trade makes huge headlines during a very transactional and controversial 2019 – 2020 MLB offseason. An offseason smeared with the bad taste of the electronic sign stealing scandal investigation resulting in serious personnel moves by some big league teams. One of those franchises being the Boston Red Sox.

After the firing of their previous manager, Alex Cora, Boston looks to hire a new manager in a timely fashion as the MLB pitchers and catchers will start reporting to spring training facilities in Florida and Arizona over the next couple weeks. Possible replacements for Alex Cora include Oakland A’s quality control coach, Mark Kotsay, Red Sox bench coach, Ron Roenicke, Red Sox third base coach, Carlos Febles, or Red Sox special assistant to baseball operations, Jason Varitek.

We will find out Boston’s decision on their new manager soon, and one of the first things they will have to adapt from is the loss of their superstar outfielder Mookie Betts and left handed starting pitcher, David Price.

The Three Team Trade Details

Betts and Price along with their large contracts were traded from Boston to the Los Angeles Dodgers this week. The LA Dodgers will receive young talent such as Alex Verdugo. While the third team involved, the Minnesota Twins, will acquire pitcher Kenta Maeda from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Twins are sending the Boston Red Sox hard throwing prospect, Brusdar Graterol as well. All of these trades of course are contingent of the players all passing their physical examinations by their new teams.

The Los Angeles Dodgers

Like an aggressive real estate mogul, the Dodgers continue to buy up precious high value Major League Baseball assets. This time the Dodgers are taking on the remaining enormous contracts of former MLB MVP Mookie Betts and veteran starting pitcher, David Price. The Boston Red Sox cleared both of those two contracts from their books as they try to get under the Major League Baseball luxury tax.

Over the last several MLB seasons the Dodgers continue to pursue the elusive World Series championship that they have been so close to reaching throughout the last three years. The Dodgers lost the World Series in 2017 to the Houston Astros, in 2018 they lost the World Series to the Boston Red Sox, and last season the current World Series champion Washington Nationals knocked Los Angeles out of the playoffs in the National League Divisional Series. I personally am getting bored watching the LA Dodgers trying to buy a World Series Championship. I like to see baseball teams build up from good young prospects in their minor league farm systems as opposed to buying high dollar free agents or trading for big name ball players.

The Boston Red Sox

With Mookie Betts and the Boston Red Sox not being able to strike a long term deal they club looks to get something for him and Price via a trade. The Red Sox organization is looking to rebuild especially after the sanctions handed down by the MLB in the electronic sign stealing scandal in which they will be missing out on future draft picks. Betts was scheduled to make $27 million this season which is now the responsibility of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and following the 2020 MLB season he will become a free agent who will demand somewhere in the ball park range of a $400 million contract for most likely over ten years.

Price’s $32 million annual salary is also no longer an issue for Boston as Los Angeles picked that up in the trade. The Dodgers have Price under contract through the 2022 MLB season. Boston is attempting to dive below the $208 million luxury tax threshold. They took $123 million off their books over the next few years especially by ditching the overpaid agreement with Price. The Red Sox are hopeful that the young power arm of Brusdar Graterol will be a nice addition on their big league roster sometime in the near future. Graterol was acquired from the Minnesota Twins in this offseason blockbuster trade.

Alex Verdugo is a young and much less expensive option in the outfield for the Boston Red Sox to move forward with as they fill the big shoes left by Betts leaving town. Only time will tell how competitive the Red Sox will be with the powerhouse New York Yankees being locked and loaded for the upcoming and exciting 2020 MLB season. Hopefully guys they have under contract like Chris Sale will play up their potential for all the money they are getting paid by the Boston Red Sox.

The Minnesota Twins

Kenta Maeda is a solid veteran pitcher that should help the Minnesota Twins in their search for a better starting pitcher rotation for the near future. This right hander also comes with valuable postseason experience as he comes from the perennial playoff contenders in the LA Dodgers. The Twins have a solid young core of baseball players, and they have started coming back in to the American League playoff landscape as of lately. Hopefully the addition of Maeda will help get them to the next level.

World Series Odds for the Boston Red Sox and LA Dodgers

According to Caesars Sportsbook the odds increased for the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the 2020 World Series from 7 – 1 to a now 4 – 1 after this trade. The odds for the Boston Red Sox to win the 2020 World Series went from 20 – 1 to 25 – 1 as a result if this three team trade.

Betts' Career Regular Season Batting Statistics

Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB Pos Awards
2014 21 BOS AL 52 213 189 34 55 12 1 5 18 7 3 21 31 0.291 0.368 0.444 0.812 126 84 2 2 1 0 0 849  
2015 22 BOS AL 145 654 597 92 174 42 8 18 77 21 6 46 82 0.291 0.341 0.479 0.82 117 286 2 2 3 6 1 *89/D MVP-19
2016 23 BOS AL 158 730 672 122 214 42 5 31 113 26 4 49 80 0.318 0.363 0.534 0.897 133 359 12 2 0 7 1 *9 AS,MVP-2,GG,SS
2017 24 BOS AL 153 712 628 101 166 46 2 24 102 26 3 77 79 0.264 0.344 0.459 0.803 108 288 9 2 0 5 9 *9 AS,MVP-6,GG
2018 25 BOS AL 136 614 520 129 180 47 5 32 80 30 6 81 91 0.346 0.438 0.64 1.078 186 333 5 8 0 5 8 *98/D4 AS,MVP-1,GG,SS
2019 26 BOS AL 150 706 597 135 176 40 5 29 80 16 3 97 101 0.295 0.391 0.524 0.915 135 313 11 3 0 9 6 *98/D AS,MVP-8,GG,SS
6 Yrs       794 3629 3203 613 965 229 26 139 470 126 25 371 464 0.301 0.374 0.519 0.893 134 1663 41 19 4 32 25    
162 Game Avg.       162 740 654 125 197 47 5 28 96 26 5 76 95 0.301 0.374 0.519 0.893 134 339 8 4 1 7 5    

Betts' Career Regular Season Fielding

Year Age Tm Pos Lg G GS CG Inn Ch PO A E DP Fld% Rtot Rdrs Rtot/yr Rdrs/yr RF/9 RF/G lgFld% lgRF9 lgRFG Awards
2014 21 BOS OF AL 37 36 33 326.2 88 84 3 1 2 0.989 -6 5 -20 18 2.4 2.35 0.986 2.26 2.25  
2014 21 BOS CF AL 28 28 25 249.2 66 64 2 0 2 1 -5 2 -25 10 2.38 2.36 0.989 2.69 2.69  
2014 21 BOS 2B AL 14 14 14 122 66 25 38 3 7 0.955 -1 -1 -11 -10 4.65 4.5 0.984 4.61 4.6  
2014 21 BOS RF AL 12 8 8 77 22 20 1 1 0 0.955 1 3 9 47 2.45 1.75 0.982 2.08 2.07  
2015 22 BOS OF AL 144 141 137 1254 373 358 10 5 2 0.987 -7 10 -6 9 2.64 2.56 0.987 2.2 2.19 MVP-19
2015 22 BOS CF AL 133 130 126 1157 349 335 10 4 2 0.989 -8 9 -8 9 2.68 2.59 0.99 2.68 2.66 MVP-19
2015 22 BOS RF AL 11 11 11 97 24 23 0 1 0 0.958 1 1 9 12 2.13 2.09 0.985 2.02 2 MVP-19
2015 22 BOS DH AL 1 0                                   MVP-19
2016 23 BOS OF AL 157 157 151 1381.2 361 346 14 1 4 0.997 17 32 15 27 2.34 2.29 0.986 2.15 2.12 AS,MVP-2,GG,SS
2016 23 BOS RF AL 157 157 151 1381.2 361 346 14 1 4 0.997 17 32 15 28 2.34 2.29 0.986 2.1 2.08 AS,MVP-2,GG,SS
2017 24 BOS OF AL 153 153 148 1389.1 379 366 8 5 1 0.987 24 31 20 26 2.42 2.44 0.985 2.16 2.14 AS,MVP-6,GG
2017 24 BOS RF AL 153 153 148 1389.1 379 366 8 5 1 0.987 24 31 20 27 2.42 2.44 0.982 2.04 2.02 AS,MVP-6,GG
2018 25 BOS OF AL 131 128 112 1112 278 272 5 1 0 0.996 20 20 22 21 2.24 2.11 0.987 2.2 2.18 AS,MVP-1,GG,SS
2018 25 BOS RF AL 120 115 103 1001 246 241 4 1 0 0.996 19 20 22 24 2.2 2.04 0.986 2.07 2.05 AS,MVP-1,GG,SS
2018 25 BOS CF AL 14 13 9 111 32 31 1 0 0 1 1 0 5 0 2.59 2.29 0.989 2.57 2.54 AS,MVP-1,GG,SS
2018 25 BOS DH AL 3 3                                   AS,MVP-1,GG,SS
2018 25 BOS 2B AL 1 0 0 6 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 80 0 3 2 0.98 4.05 4.1 AS,MVP-1,GG,SS
2019 26 BOS OF AL 143 142 132 1273.1 332 320 10 2 0 0.994 17 15 16 14 2.33 2.31 0.985 2.13 2.12 AS,MVP-8,GG,SS
2019 26 BOS RF AL 132 126 121 1129.1 283 274 8 1 0 0.996 12 15 12 16 2.25 2.14 0.983 2.07 2.06 AS,MVP-8 ,GG ,SS
2019 26 BOS CF AL 17 16 11 144 49 46 2 1 0 0.98 5 0 42 0 3 2.82 0.988 2.49 2.47 AS,MVP-8,GG,SS
2019 26 BOS DH AL 7 6                                   AS,MVP-8,GG,SS
6 Seasons     OF   765 757 713 6737 1811 1746 50 15 9 0.992 65 113 12 20 2.4 2.35 0.986 2.17 2.15  
6 Seasons     RF   585 570 542 5075.1 1315 1270 35 10 5 0.992 72 102 17 24 2.31 2.23 0.984 2.07 2.05  
4 Seasons     CF   192 187 171 1661.2 496 476 15 5 4 0.99 -7 11 -5 7 2.66 2.56 0.99 2.66 2.64  
2 Seasons     2B   15 14 14 128 68 25 40 3 7 0.956 -1 -1 -7 -9 4.57 4.33 0.984 4.58 4.57  
3 Seasons     DH   11 9                                    
6 Seasons     TOT   780 771 727 6865 1879 1771 90 18 16 0.99 64 112 11 19 2.44 2.39 0.986 2.22 2.2  
      Pos Lg G GS CG Inn Ch PO A E DP Fld% Rtot Rdrs Rtot/yr Rdrs/yr RF/9 RF/G lgFld% lgRF9 lgRFG Awards

Betts' Career Playoff Batting Statistics

Year Age Tm Lg Series Opp Rslt G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB WPA
2016 23 BOS AL ALDS CLE L 3 12 10 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0.2 0.333 0.3 0.633 3 1 0 0 0 0 -0.12
2017 24 BOS AL ALDS HOU L 4 17 16 2 5 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 4 0.313 0.353 0.438 0.79 7 0 0 0 0 0 -0.11
2018 25 BOS AL ALDS NYY W 4 19 16 3 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 4 0.188 0.316 0.25 0.566 4 0 0 0 0 2 -0.09
2018 25 BOS AL ALCS HOU W 5 25 23 5 5 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0.217 0.28 0.304 0.584 7 0 1 0 0 0 -0.06
2018 25 BOS AL WS LAD W 5 26 23 5 5 1 0 1 1 1 0 3 6 0.217 0.308 0.391 0.699 9 0 0 0 0 2 -0.2
3 Yrs (5 Series)             21 99 88 16 20 7 0 1 4 2 0 10 17 0.227 0.313 0.341 0.654 30 1 1 0 0 4 -0.58
3 ALDS             11 48 42 6 10 4 0 0 2 1 0 6 9 0.238 0.333 0.333 0.667 14 1 0 0 0 2 -0.32
1 ALCS             5 25 23 5 5 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0.217 0.28 0.304 0.584 7 0 1 0 0 0 -0.06
1 WS             5 26 23 5 5 1 0 1 1 1 0 3 6 0.217 0.308 0.391 0.699 9 0 0 0 0 2 -0.2

Price's Career Regular Season Pitching Statistics

Year Age Tm Lg W L W-L% ERA G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF ERA+ FIP WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W Awards
2008 22 TBR AL 0 0   1.93 5 1 0 0 0 0 14 9 4 3 1 4 0 12 1 0 0 57 234 3.42 0.929 5.8 0.6 2.6 7.7 3  
2009 23 TBR AL 10 7 0.588 4.42 23 23 0 0 0 0 128.1 119 72 63 17 54 0 102 4 0 2 557 98 4.59 1.348 8.3 1.2 3.8 7.2 1.89  
2010 24 TBR AL 19 6 0.76 2.72 32 31 0 2 1 0 208.2 170 71 63 15 79 1 188 5 3 5 861 144 3.42 1.193 7.3 0.6 3.4 8.1 2.38 AS,CYA-2
2011 25 TBR AL 12 13 0.48 3.49 34 34 0 0 0 0 224.1 192 93 87 22 63 5 218 9 0 2 918 108 3.32 1.137 7.7 0.9 2.5 8.7 3.46 AS
2012 26 TBR AL 20 5 0.8 2.56 31 31 0 2 1 0 211 173 63 60 16 59 2 205 5 1 8 836 150 3.05 1.1 7.4 0.7 2.5 8.7 3.47 AS,CYA-1,MVP-12
2013 27 TBR AL 10 8 0.556 3.33 27 27 0 4 0 0 186.2 178 78 69 16 27 0 151 3 0 6 740 115 3.03 1.098 8.6 0.8 1.3 7.3 5.59  
2014 28 TOT AL 15 12 0.556 3.26 34 34 0 3 0 0 248.1 230 100 90 25 38 1 271 5 0 2 1009 115 2.78 1.079 8.3 0.9 1.4 9.8 7.13 AS,CYA-6
2014 28 TBR AL 11 8 0.579 3.11 23 23 0 2 0 0 170.2 156 68 59 20 23 1 189 5 0 2 689 119 2.93 1.049 8.2 1.1 1.2 10 8.22  
2014 28 DET AL 4 4 0.5 3.59 11 11 0 1 0 0 77.2 74 32 31 5 15 0 82 0 0 0 320 108 2.44 1.146 8.6 0.6 1.7 9.5 5.47  
2015 29 TOT AL 18 5 0.783 2.45 32 32 0 3 1 0 220.1 190 70 60 17 47 2 225 3 0 4 888 164 2.78 1.076 7.8 0.7 1.9 9.2 4.79 AS,CYA-2,MVP-9
2015 29 DET AL 9 4 0.692 2.53 21 21 0 3 1 0 146 133 50 41 13 29 2 138 3 0 3 592 158 3.06 1.11 8.2 0.8 1.8 8.5 4.76  
2015 29 TOR AL 9 1 0.9 2.3 11 11 0 0 0 0 74.1 57 20 19 4 18 0 87 0 0 1 296 179 2.22 1.009 6.9 0.5 2.2 10.5 4.83  
2016 30 BOS AL 17 9 0.654 3.99 35 35 0 2 0 0 230 227 106 102 30 50 1 228 7 0 4 951 112 3.6 1.204 8.9 1.2 2 8.9 4.56  
2017 31 BOS AL 6 3 0.667 3.38 16 11 1 0 0 0 74.2 65 30 28 8 24 0 76 4 0 2 317 135 3.64 1.192 7.8 1 2.9 9.2 3.17  
2018 32 BOS AL 16 7 0.696 3.58 30 30 0 1 0 0 176 151 75 70 25 50 0 177 10 0 1 722 123 4.02 1.142 7.7 1.3 2.6 9.1 3.54  
2019 33 BOS AL 7 5 0.583 4.28 22 22 0 0 0 0 107.1 109 57 51 15 32 0 128 3 1 3 458 113 3.62 1.314 9.1 1.3 2.7 10.7 4  
12 Yrs       150 80 0.652 3.31 321 311 1 17 3 0 2029.2 1813 819 746 207 527 12 1981 59 5 39 8314 123 3.35 1.153 8 0.9 2.3 8.8 3.76  
162 Game Avg.       16 9 0.652 3.31 35 33 0 2 0 0 218  195 88 80 22 57 1 213 6 1 4 895 123 3.35 1.153 8 0.9 2.3 8.8 3.76  
                                                                     
TBR (7 yrs)       82 47 0.636 3.18 175 170 0 10 2 0 1143.2 997 449 404 107 309 9 1065 32 4 25 4658 122 3.33 1.142 7.8 0.8 2.4 8.4 3.45  
BOS (4 yrs)       46 24 0.657 3.84 103 98 1 3 0 0 588 552 268 251 78 156 1 609 24 1 10 2448 118 3.74 1.204 8.4 1.2 2.4 9.3 3.9  
DET (2 yrs)       13 8 0.619 2.9 32 32 0 4 1 0 223.2 207 82 72 18 44 2 220 3 0 3 912 136 2.84 1.122 8.3 0.7 1.8 8.9 5  
TOR (1 yr)       9 1 0.9 2.3 11 11 0 0 0 0 74.1 57 20 19 4 18 0 87 0 0 1 296 179 2.22 1.009 6.9 0.5 2.2 10.5 4.83  

Price's Career Playoff Pitching Statistics

Year Age Tm Lg Series Rslt Opp W L W-L% ERA G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W WPA
2008 22 TBR AL ALDS W CHW                                                          
2008 22 TBR AL ALCS W BOS 1 0 1 0 3 0 3 0 0 1 2.1 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 0 0 0 9 0.857 0 0 7.7 15.4 2 0.36
2008 22 TBR AL WS L PHI 0 0   2.7 2 0 2 0 0 0 3.1 2 2 1 1 2 0 4 0 0 0 15 1.2 5.4 2.7 5.4 10.8 2 0.09
                                                                       
2010 24 TBR AL ALDS L TEX 0 2 0 4.97 2 2 0 0 0 0 12.2 17 8 7 2 0 0 14 0 0 0 55 1.342 12.1 1.4 0 9.9   -0.33
2011 25 TBR AL ALDS L TEX 0 1 0 4.05 1 1 0 0 0 0 6.2 7 3 3 1 1 0 3 0 0 1 27 1.2 9.5 1.4 1.4 4.1 3 -0.03
                                                                       
2013 27 TBR AL ALWC W CLE                                                          
2013 27 TBR AL ALDS L BOS 0 1 0 9 1 1 0 0 0 0 7 9 7 7 2 2 0 5 0 0 0 31 1.571 11.6 2.6 2.6 6.4 2.5 -0.33
2014 28 DET AL ALDS L BAL 0 1 0 2.25 1 1 0 0 0 0 8 5 2 2 1 2 0 6 1 0 0 31 0.875 5.6 1.1 2.3 6.8 3 0.07
2015 29 TOR AL ALDS W TEX 1 1 0.5 7.2 2 1 0 0 0 0 10 11 8 8 2 2 0 7 2 0 0 43 1.3 9.9 1.8 1.8 6.3 3.5 -0.25
2015 29 TOR AL ALCS L KCR 0 1 0 5.4 2 2 0 0 0 0 13.1 11 8 8 2 1 0 16 0 0 0 52 0.9 7.4 1.4 0.7 10.8 16 -0.22
2016 30 BOS AL ALDS L CLE 0 1 0 13.5 1 1 0 0 0 0 3.1 6 5 5 1 2 0 3 0 0 0 18 2.4 16.2 2.7 5.4 8.1 1.5 -0.24
2017 31 BOS AL ALDS L HOU 0 0   0 2 0 0 0 0 0 6.2 5 0 0 0 2 1 6 0 0 0 27 1.05 6.8 0 2.7 8.1 3 0.43
2018 32 BOS AL ALDS W NYY 0 1 0 16.2 1 1 0 0 0 0 1.2 3 3 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 10 3 16.2 10.8 10.8 0 0 -0.22
2018 32 BOS AL ALCS W HOU 1 0 1 3.38 2 2 0 0 0 0 10.2 8 4 4 1 4 0 13 0 0 0 44 1.125 6.8 0.8 3.4 11 3.25 0.15
2018 32 BOS AL WS W LAD 2 0 1 1.98 3 2 0 0 0 0 13.2 7 3 3 1 6 0 10 0 0 0 52 0.951 4.6 0.7 4 6.6 1.67 0.46
9 Yrs (13 Series)             5 9 0.357 4.62 23 14 5 0 0 1 99.1 91 53 51 16 28 1 91 3 0 1 414 1.198 8.2 1.4 2.5 8.2 3.25 -0.05
8 ALDS             1 8 0.111 5.63 11 8 0 0 0 0 56 63 36 35 11 13 1 44 3 0 1 242 1.357 10.1 1.8 2.1 7.1 3.38 -0.89
3 ALCS             2 1 0.667 4.1 7 4 3 0 0 1 26.1 19 12 12 3 7 0 33 0 0 0 105 0.987 6.5 1 2.4 11.3 4.71 0.29
2 WS             2 0 1 2.12 5 2 2 0 0 0 17 9 5 4 2 8 0 14 0 0 0 67 1 4.8 1.1 4.2 7.4 1.75 0.55

Sources:

"Red Sox agree to trade Mookie Betts, David Price to Dodgers in 3-team deal”, Jeff Passan, espn.com, February 4, 2020.

“MLB rumors: Red Sox manager candidate finally emerges”, Randy Miller, nj.com, January 29, 2020.

“Mookie Betts”, baseball-reference.com, February 6, 2020.

“David Price”, baseball-reference.com, February 6, 2020.

Written by: David Green