The Boston Red Sox have traded star outfielder Mookie Betts and pitcher David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers, in a deal that will shake up the MLB standings.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Boston is sending Betts and Price to Los Angeles for a package centered around outfielder Alex Verdugo. The Red Sox are also sending cash considerations, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.
The Dodgers are sending pitcher Kenta Maeda to the Minnesota Twins as part of the deal, per Passan. In exchange, Minnesota will send top pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol to the Red Sox.
The Padres and Dodgers discussed deals with Boston throughout the offseason and talks started heating up this week. Now, Betts is headed to the Dodgers that makes the NL favorite into a potential powerhouse this season.
Betts, who is owed $27 million this season, is one of the best MLB players to be traded in recent years. A four-time All-Star and Gold Glove Award recipient, he hit 29 home runs with a .915 OPS this past season.
Price is owed $96 million over the next three seasons and is coming off a 2019 season with a 4.28 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. However, before injuries limited his effectiveness, he posted a 3.24 ERA with a 95/21 K/BB in his first 16 starts.
Boston’s ownership entered the offseason seeking to shed payroll and get under MLB’s luxury tax threshold for the 2020 season. The Red Sox accomplished that on Tuesday, but it came at the cost of moving the AL MVP Award winner in 2018 and dealing one of their starting pitchers.
Verdugo ranked as a top-35 prospect in MLB in 2018 and hit 12 homers with a .817 OPS across 343 at-bats with the Dodgers last year. He can play either corner outfield spot and will contribute immediately for the Red Sox.
Graterol is a hard-throwing righty who made his MLB debut this season for the Twins. He posted a 10-2 K-BB ratio in 10 innings. He made one appearance in the postseason, striking out two batters against the New York Yankees.
The 21-year-old possesses a fastball that can easily hit triple digits. He dominated at the Double-A level this past season with a 1.71 ERA and 50/21 K/BB ratio across 52.2 innings. The Red Sox could let him compete for a rotation spot in spring training or convert him into a closer.
Maeda, who is under contract for the next four seasons at $3 million annually, will add further stability to Minnesota’s rotation. He recorded a 4.04 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across 153.2 innings this past year. The veteran righty owns a 3.87 ERA in his career and can work out of the rotation and even be moved to the bullpen in the postseason.