*Photo from the Los Angeles Times*
The Boston Red Sox are trading OF Mookie Betts and LHP David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a massive 3 team blockbuster trade, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Minnesota Twins are the 3rd team involved in the deal. Dodgers outfielder Alex Verdugo is the centerpiece of the return to Boston, with the Twins sending top pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol to Boston, with Dodgers RHP Kenta Maeda heading to Minnesota. The deal is pending medical reviews.
The Red Sox are covering half of the $96 million still owed to Price on his contract, with the Dodgers covering the other half of Price's deal, as well as the $27 million owed to Betts this season. Verdugo will likely become the starting right fielder in Boston. Verdugo hit .294 with 12 homers and 44 RBI in 106 games played for the Dodgers in 2019. In his 3 year major league career, Verdugo is a .282 hitter with 14 homers and 49 RBI in 158 games played. Graterol made his major league debut last season at the age of 21 as the Twins top prospect. He appeared in the bullpen last year, going 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA in 10 appearances in relief. Graterol will compete for the 5th rotation spot in Boston in Spring Training. Graterol has incredible speed, able to get his fastball and sinker over 100 miles per hour on the radar gun.
The Dodgers lineup gets an immediate boost with Betts added to it, and world series or bust is now the expectation in Los Angeles. Betts wasn't as good in 2019 as his MVP winning season in 2018, but was still a force, hitting .295 with 29 homers and 80 RBI in 150 games. In his 6 year major league career, he his a .301 hitter with 139 homers and 470 RBI in 794 games played, all with the Red Sox. Price started 22 games for the Red Sox last season, going 7-5 with a 4.28 ERA. Price was having a good season before a left wrist cyst in August ended his season. In Price's 12 years in the majors, he has a 150-80 record with a 3.31 ERA in 321 games. Price will replace Hyun-Jin Ryu in the rotation, who signed with the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this Winter.
The Twins get only Maeda, who will help hold down the starting rotation until Rich Hill and Michael Pineda to return from their various setbacks, and then he will likely be sent to the bullpen. Pineda is finishing his PED suspension, and Hill is recovering from surgery. Maeda appeared in 37 games for the Dodgers last season, starting 26 of them. He went 10-8 with a 4.04 ERA last season. In Maeda's 4 year major league career, Maeda is 47-35 with a 3.87 ERA in 137 games, with 103 of them coming as starts.
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