Mookie Betts came up through the Red Sox farm system as an infielder, playing for the Portland Sea Dogs in 2014 – the same season he made his major league debut with Boston. Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer
In one trade, the Boston Red Sox sent away their best position player and No. 2 starter, receiving a young outfielder and a pitching prospect.
It was a brilliant move by new Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom, dealing Mookie Betts and David Price in a three-team trade with the Dodgers and Twins.
Of course – and let’s say it again, OF COURSE – it would have been fun to watch Betts play one more season at Fenway Park before he can opt for free agency next fall. Any fan, especially those of us who watched him shine with the Portland Sea Dogs in 2014, appreciate the talent and wonder of Betts.
But success in major league baseball is about ongoing construction – building and rebuilding rosters. Bloom knows that better than most, having come up with the cash-strapped Tampa Bay franchise. Teams must reinvent themselves or go stagnant. That may be why no MLB team has won back-to-back World Series titles since the New York Yankees’ three-peat in 1998-2000. Recently, the closest any organization has come to dynasty status is the San Francisco Giants (three titles, 2010-14) and Red Sox (four titles, 2004-18).
Part of reconstruction is reworking payroll. Gargantuan contracts are good for a splash and, maybe, immediate success – but usually prove onerous.
Here is what Boston lost in its trade:
• One more season of Betts. The 2018 American League MVP is one of the most exciting players in baseball. At 27, is a five-tool star who undoubtedly will be missed.
• Three more seasons of David Price’s potential. Price has 150 wins and a 3.31 career ERA. He is a veteran who came through in the 2018 World Series, winning both his starts and posting a 1.98 ERA.
Here is what Boston gained.
• Payroll flexibility. Betts was due to make $27 million this year. Price has $96 million left over three years (of which the Red Sox will pay half, according to media reports). That should put Boston under the luxury tax threshold of $208 million.
Last year, Boston went over the threshold for the second straight season, with a $228 million payroll, and had to pay $13.4 million in penalties. For every consecutive year a team goes over, the tax rate goes higher.
Before the Red Sox complain about the luxury tax, it was implemented to stop big-spending teams from dominating. When the Yankees were spending and winning – New York had the highest payroll in all but one season from 1996 through 2013 – complaints flooded in about the Yankees outspending everyone. Revenue-sharing and the luxury tax were meant to rein in the Yankees.
At 34, David Price is trending downward, having made just 38 starts over the past seasons. Associated Press/Stacy Bengs
• A sigh of relief regarding Price. While Price is accomplished, he is also 34 and has had health issues. He made 16 starts in 2017 and, last year, he made 22 starts, going 7-5 with a 4.28 ERA. He is trending downward. If Boston had kept him one more year, Price would be with Boston five years and, as a veteran, could veto any trade. This was the right time to ship him out.
• Alex Verdugo can play. Verdugo is the outfielder the Red Sox received in the deal. He is NOT Betts, but he’s a good, young (23) player who batted .294 with an .817 OPS in his rookie year with the Dodgers. And he won’t be a free agent until 2025.
• Brusdar Graterol. A 21-year-old pitching prospect, Graterol comes from the Twins. He reached the majors last year for 10 relief appearances (4.66 ERA). With a fastball in the 96-98 mph range and a decent slider, he could develop into something.
If you are making a straight up trade of Betts and Price for Verdugo and Graterol, you don’t do it. But reworking the payroll was key here, especially since it appeared Betts was going to walk to the highest bidder after this season (and no one blames him for that).
But what do the highest bidders get? The Angels have Mike Trout ($430 million contract) and Albert Pujols ($240 million), the Phillies have Bryce Harper ($330 million), the Yankees have Giancarlo Stanton ($325 million) and the Padres have Manny Machado ($300 million). Only Stanton’s team made the playoffs last season, and he was injured for all but 18 games.
The Red Sox are not a dead team walking. They still have a core of talented players, including Xander Bogaerts (27 years old) Andrew Benintendi (25) and Rafael Devers, (23), not to mention J.D. Martinez for another season. Bogaerts and Martinez actually led Boston in OPS (.939) last year. Devers was at .916, Betts at .915.
Bloom can build on that core.
It looks bad sending Mookie Betts away, and it is easy to quickly criticize the deal. But Boston will emerge in good – possibly better – shape.
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