As the Red Sox season mercifully nears its conclusion, a difficult decision looms on the horizon for the club and whoever it hires to assume the vacant general manager post. With a contract extension looking unlikely for all-world outfielder Mookie Betts, it looks like a “realistic possibility” that he will be traded this offseason, writes Christopher Smith of masslive.com.
With just one year of team control remaining before he could hit free agency, the Red Sox will have to weigh whether to deal Betts now for a haul of controllable players, or ride it out for another year and recoup a draft pick after extending the qualifying offer. It’s worth noting that such a momentous decision will surely be a topic of discussion in GM interviews, though ultimately the decision will likely be made by ownership.
For his part, Betts has given ample reason to believe that he intends to test the open market after the 2020 season, at which point the Red Sox could only receive draft pick compensation should he choose to sign elsewhere. Thus, if the organization wants to retain the most value in exchange for its best asset, trading Betts would be the way to go. Of course, Betts could still re-sign with the Red Sox after testing free agency, but the Red Sox certainly wouldn’t bank on that outcome.
Otherwise, the Red Sox could simply hang on to Betts and pencil him into the leadoff spot for another crack at the postseason. Assuming he leaves at the end of the year, the Sox would only collect a draft pick in this scenario, but if the team wants to maximize its chances of returning to the Fall Classic, Betts needs to be in the lineup. He’s unquestionably been one of the most productive players in baseball over the last few years, ranking second behind only Mike Trout in fWAR since 2016.
But with Red Sox ownership intent on cutting payroll to sneak under the luxury tax, now might be the time to cash in on Betts’s trade value. In his final arbitration season, Betts is a virtual lock to fetch a salary approaching $30MM. Last offseason, he reeled in a $20MM payday that established the benchmark for players in his service class. After another fantastic season, a similar uptick in pay would place him in the neighborhood of $30MM. It would be hard to reconcile such a hefty price for one player with a top-down mandate to shed payroll.
To be sure, there’s considerable money coming off the books with Rick Porcello and Pablo Sandoval‘s contracts expiring (with the potential for more should J.D. Martinez opt out of his deal). However, that will be offset somewhat by extensions for Chris Sale and Xander Bogaerts kicking in next year. Add in pay raises for arbitration-eligible players, and the Red Sox may already be approaching that tax number before any additional spending in the offseason. And with limited options to trim expenditures across the roster, Betts looks like a logical candidate to go.
Certainly, though, the Red Sox won’t force a deal if the price isn’t right. The club will surely insist on a handsome return for its MVP, and the trade market will have some sway in the team’s decision to pull the trigger on a deal. If Boston’s offers are underwhelming, there’s no pressure to trade Betts; keeping him around for another year can only help the team’s chances in 2020.
Interested teams will be wary that Betts may only be a one-year rental, and will therefore be hesitant to surrender promising youngsters who could benefit their club for years to come. It’s a risk, sure, but there are precious few opportunities to add a 26-year-old MVP in the prime of his career, and making such a move instantly boosts any team’s odds.
Making an obvious point–Mookie is great, and worth a boatload in return, but you are talking about a very limited market for him–contending teams who have the payroll flexibility to add $30M (and some of that subset might also have luxury tax issues). Mookie might very well be the Ferrari you really want but your spouse is wondering if this is evidence of some midlife crisis. If he stays injury-free, he will be worth the money on a WAR basis, but that’ not really the problem. If Boston can only trade him a very high return, what impact does that have on the acquiring franchise’s future?
Mookie isn’t going anywhere.
Mookie’s gone. Either this winter or next winter.
Thanks for the input Nostradamus.
Thanks for the pointless contribution, President Trump.
Mookies gone for sure and they’ll get a pretty haul for him.
You’re welcome Pads fan. No charge by the way.
By the way Nostradamus was wrong 90% of the time, and the 10% time he was right he plagiarized.
@ Gary- You’re right. Mookie’s great but if the goal is to shed payroll and get some kind of return on investment, now is the time. They should never have given Dumbo the checkbook and authorization to strip the farm. The Dodgers won’t bail us out this time.
World series wasn’t worth it? C’mon
It won`t be next winter as the team will get NOTHING in return. As dumb as the FO has be of late they will never wait till next winter. There is 57million coming off the books but 49 million of that is already eaten up by the Sale and Bogey extensions.
To the Padres, send back Myers with money eaten plus prospects
There is no “Betts to the Padres” trade that includes Wil Myers.
Yes there is if they include enough money and prospects. Sox also have a hole at first
Boston wants to get under the luxury tax line. How does adding Wil Myers and his $22.5m/yr help that?
One nice Prospect or two thrown in with Wil Myers gets it done.
There is no trade market for Wil Myers, Gary. His lack of production and high salary makes him untradeable.
@Gary no it does not.
I don’t see too many teams giving up a massive prospect haul at this point unless they get desprate. Unless he is willing to sign an extension to the team he is traded to, it might just be better to hold on to the prospects, and sign him to a mega deal next off season.
The Pirates love to give up prospects. They can definitely get Mook.
Yeah obviously not a massive haul for a one-year rental. But if the Sox can get a young pitcher and maybe a couple other guys that are in the pipeline they go for it.
What would be a realistic return for him and what teams are most likely to be involved that could meet boston’s demands?
One really good young pitcher and a couple B prospects. Maybe more if Boston takes back some salary (but that would defeat the purpose). Any number of teams could take a run at him. I could see the Braves offering one of their young arms, maybe Fried, plus a couple dudes from AA. Could see the Rockies offering Jon Gray and some stuff. Maybe (unlikely) the Padres get trigger happy with Gore, but not much else if that’s the case. Cards maybe, with Hudson. That sort of thing. Not a massive package but one really good piece who goes right into the Sox rotation and has loads of control.
Could ya? lmao – dude you are smoking crack. Get off of it. Braves have ZERO interest in Betts – and lets pretend they did – they aren’t giving up years of control of Fried for 1 year of Betts. Let alone AA prospects. Braves have Acuna/Pache/Watters as the future – all controllable, young and going to make an impact. You are going to get an average prospect or 2 down in the low minors. Go talk to SD or Philly – they make stupid deals.
Think Braves and Padres
Randy Red Sox – Braves pass. But thanks for playing. You must be smoking the same crack as the guy above. Your window to trade him for anything strong has passed. Maybe April 1, 2019. Not now. Especially when 25 other teams know he will likely be a FA after 2020. I see White Sox and Giants making a play on him in free agency. Enjoy your draft pick.
No don’t think Padres. They are not one Mookie Betts away from winning a championship in 2020.
Very poor management by the GM and even more by ownership.
Why would any baseball executive even consider the Red Sox GM vacancy? It’s clearly an exercise in futility.
4 championships in 15 years kind of speaks for itself. You go there to win.
Are you kidding me, they won the World Series last year. Isn’t that the goal? Or are you counting AAA championships?
So the guy did his job, and now he’s free to do the same somewhere else. Some other team that needs a gutsy GM to make moves to win it all.
But now this is a challenge to shore up payroll, make sensible trades to fill holes, and straighten out the farm. It’s called the challenges of baseball. Any budding GM would love to face that challenge and be a hero if successful.
Sells the farm, signs everyone, and goes all in to win and leaves the team in shambles.
Great if your the Marlins or Red Sox….sucks if your a Tigers fan.
Signed Price and JDM, traded moatly blocked and low level prospects for Sale and Kimbrel. Only real mistakes were signing Pearce and Eovaldi and extending Sale last winter. Forgivable after last years duckboat parade.
Get prospects
With only 1 year of control how much can he really get in a return ?
Just like every player the Red Sox considered adding for the stretch drives, recently, they won’t receive full price for a one year rental., They will be able to get what ONE YEAR of Mookie will be worth. Maybe they could get a one year player back like they did with Porcello.
That’s a great example. And if Yoenis Cespedes can get back Rick Porcello, imagine what mookie brings back.
No point in trading Betts for another one-year player. No one they could get for him would help them more in 2020 than Betts would so the only reason to trade him would be to add years of control to the roster.
Well if it’s for a pitcher who is willing to extend? Just like Porcello.
They’d be better off trading Betts for prospects, waiting a year and then making a play for that pitcher in free agency. What exactly do they expect to happen if they trade for him? Is he just going to magically fall in love with the place and take a huge discount to sign there? How likely really is that?
By the way no one was going to beat what the Res Sox gave Rick Porcello if he had gone to free agency.
Mookie wants to go so he needs to be traded ASAP to get what he’s worth, back. If he stays it’s going to be a circus in Boston with his FA drama, it’s bad enuff right now n we’re going to the off season. I’ve really enjoyed Mookie, but he’s not going to stay, so trade ASAP!
Not to mention if he repeats this past season his value will DRASTICALLY drop
6.8 war and a likely gold glove. Pretty good for an off year
I agree with you on that. I’m speaking more on the lines of him getting 30 million plus which is what he is obviously looking for
Bryant for Betts
Cubs wouldn’t take one year of Betts for 2 of Bryant.
What about Heyward, Schwarber and Bryant for Betts and a couple prospects? This way Chicago gets out of that awful contract w Heyward, finally trade schwarber to the AL and give up Bryant for Betts, who can just go straight to RF. Just spit balling, no need to come at me like it’s an egregious trade offer. Some tweaking to the deal, sure. But Mookie won’t sign an extension anywhere. He wants to be a FA.
If the reason for moving Betts is purely a financial decision then taking on Heyward’s contract would be counterproductive.
Wouldn’t Schwarber and maybe a low level prospect be enough to get one year of Betts alone? I mean it’s only one year
I continue to be amazed- and I think this is one of the reasons the Cubs have failed to make it back to the NLCS- at how much value Cubs people think Schwarber has. Schwarber was really exciting as a player when he was a catcher; but as an OF he is simply a below average hitter, defender, base-runner, slightly above average OB guy, with great power. Schwarber basically has 1 maybe 2 tools. Extremely overrated player by Cubs management and fans. If I’m Boston, I would trade Betts for Schwarber, Happ, and a top prospect (assuming Mookie extended with the Cubs)
No. The degree to which Cubs fans overvalue Schwarber is just the stuff of legend now.
Wow 38 home runs nearly 100 rbi and a good slugging pct and obp is below average? Hmm
I would take him on the Sox any day. And I know you Sox fans would hate that idea
I could see this if JDM opts out, the Cubs kicked in some money for Heyward’s contract, and the Sox decided to move Devers to first. Bryant would stay at 3rd, Heyward fills RF, and Schwarber fills the DH/spot OF starts like JDM does.
No thanks. Absolutely no interest in Schwarber and we already got enough low level prospects
@cheesesteak, I would value Bryant, with his additional year of control, having more value than Betts. I think both are great players, but throwing Heyward in there wold reduce Bryant’s value. Schwarber is a primary DH player and this is just an opportunity to include him as part of a trade to the AL… Sox even out the trade with prospects. I think this makes both teams better, but JDM would need to opt out of his contract to facilitate Schwarber’s bat.
Cubs want pitching and the last thing the Red Sox need is a third baseman (I know Bryant plays elsewhere too but that’s where he’s best).
Like anything else, I can see the competition driving up the price; and the fact that he IS a rental makes him more attractive. ATL (Donaldson), WASH (Rendon), PHIL (stupid money)….CWS (Abreu),,,,TEX making a splash (long-term)…Minny has money….
That’s about it…..
What are you talking about the Phillies desperately need pitching they are not trading for Betts.
Betts is very enticing as a trade acquisition. But the price will be very prohibitive. Especially with only 1 guaranteed season. So who can meet the price?
The Dodgers? They could, but they usually like to keep their blue chip prospects and it’s likely they’ll be more into the pitching market.
The Padres? They could afford the price, but from their own words they are looking told a sustained power. Betts doesn’t really fit that, unless they also outbid everyone in free agency for him to stay. Plus, they too need pitching more.
The Cubs? According to Ricketts, they don’t have the money for big splurges and they’d have to trade off their ML roster to get him. Not ideal.
The Cardinals? While it is more their style to trade for and try to extend/re-sign players, i don’t think they’d have that confidence with Betts. Plus, i don’t really believe they have the package the Red Sox would look for.
The Nats? They already have a loaded OF and i don’t believe they’d swap either Robles or Soto in such a deal.
The Braves? They are far too fiscally conscientious for this type of move.
The Mets? They are crazy enough to do it, but do they have what it would take in players?
The Angels? Like others, their greatest need is pitching.
The Astros? No actual need for Betts and they’ll likely need to beef up their rotation.
The White Sox? I actually feel like this is the most likely team to be willing to package enough for him and they absolutely have the OF need. I also believe they want to make a big splash this off season.
The Yankees? I’d give this about an 0.001% of happening, for obvious reasons.
I still feel like the Red Sox will keep him until the trade deadline next season, but stranger things have happened.
I think the white sox are aware they are not a team prime FAs sign with. Doubt they would be dumb enough to offer what the Red Sox would accept, just to see him walk after one year. Their management has surprised me before, though..
Jay’s have prospects and have lots of Pay roll I could see them trying to make a splash
Jays are a ways off and need pitching. That’s why i didn’t include them.
Sign & trade Betts and a prospect reliever for Syndergaard & Conforto. If Bosox want Ramos & Matz as well, they send Vasquez to Flushing.
Have you not paid attention to Betts resisting all attempts at extensions and wanting to go to free agency? He’s not gonna do a sign and trade. He’ll just go to arb and wait it out.
The Dodgers are loaded with prospects and could use in at the top of their order.
If they can’t get good value for him this offseason how do they get it next trading deadline?
At the deadline a team will step up if they think they can win it all.
The Dodgers make a lot of sense, but trading multiple high end prospects for a year of Betts is not characteristic of the current FO.
Mets are the likeliest landing spot, but they’ll have to fork over someone like McNeil in the package, and idk if they wanna do that.
lmao – McNeil. For 1 year of Betts. lmao. Don’t quit your day job. Most ridiculous post of the day.
Padres seem like a good fit. We need to upgrade our corner outfield situation this offseason and want to make a run at the WC next year. Tough to give up some elite prospects for a player about to make 30m for his last season before FA though but if the return asked for sounds fair I say go for it knowing you won’t try to resign him.
No point in giving up a MacKenzie Gore-esque prospect for a one-year guy
Nobody is trading a Gore-esque prospect for 1 year of any player in baseball. That’s not how this game works anymore.
Aroldis Chapman says hi
Torres wasn’t anywhere near the caliber of Gore at the time of the Chapman trade.
Not quite but close. And Chicago didn’t even get him for a full season. They didn’t even get to QO him.
Torres was the #1 prospect in all of baseball. Yes, at that time.
Mookie says Hi. He also says he absolutely sucks at pitching. Especially in high leverage late innings.
Gore is not going anywhere its been said before. Same goes for Patiño and Trammell.
If they want to trade for Betts one of them will have to
Nah Padres have a better farm than just 3 top players they know better than that Prellers been stingy with his prospects if you haven’t noticed not giving up his best ones for a 1 year player regardless of how good he is.
Trea Turner, Zach Eflin, Max Fried and Enyel de los Santos all say hi.
Turner,Fried and Eflin were in the system before he took over. Only prospect he obtained was De Los Santos and he has not amounted to much has he.
Why does it matter if they were in the system before he took over?
And how is Freddy Galvis doing for the Padres these days?
Because I said Preller has been stingy with HIS prospects besides trading two fringe starters Enyel and Logan Allen. Freddy Galvis and Mookie Betts are two very different players not sure why even bring that up.
The point isn’t that he gave up Enyel de los Santos. The point is that he gave him up for basically nothing.
Best case for the Red Sox is JD opts out to free up some payroll, they get a draft pick for him and keep Mookie.
If you think a player opting is the “best case” then it’s pretty certain that he won’t.
JD’s not opting out. No friggin’ way.
Tampa Bay
How did the BoSox contracts get out of hand? Ownership blames Dave Dombrowski for elevating salary while neglecting the farm system (They can’t feign surprise; its his M.O.). Was DD working in a vacuum or too arrogant to look around MLB at the salary trends? He got used to spending Mike Illich’s money (to the detriment of all his other businesses) so, there was no guilt or conscience for spending even more of other people’s money. I suspect the final nail was that DD knew Mookie Betts was determined to go on the open market no matter what. Therefore, he didn’t take serious any plan on keeping him… to the dismay of the owners. The Dodgers and Astros have 1-3 high impact rookies coming up every year. The BoSox have nothing. Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi were signed by Ben Cherington.
Nothing? Half their team is prospects coming up out of their own system. About the only area they are crappy at is finding pitchers. The couple they do find they trade away.
Benintendi
Betts
Bradley
Devers
Bogey
Vasquez
Barnes
Workman
Travis
Nine homegrown starters… that’s what happened to the farm system
Dombrowski inherited an almost entirely homegrown lineup and traded a still very strong farm to build a WS champion from mostly blocked prospects and young arms. Other than Moncada, they havent missed any of them yet. While people are down on their farm, they have few holes and some possible fits in their system. Just look at Chavis this year.
It seems that there are more players around now that are as good as Mookie was in 2016. I like Mookie, but I don’t like the way he has approached this. When someone says they want free agency, it means money and ego are more important than team. Does it really matter whether he makes $400,000,000 or $350,000,000 over the next 10 years? So he becomes the highest paid player, and in a couple of years someone like Ronald Acuna breaks that record. Trade him
for what we can get.
@ray win
except Acuña is locked up the next 10 years for 100 mil
You don’t trade Mookie. You aren’t going to get a “Boatload” return for a 1 year rental. You have an MVP Caliber player on your team and you want to compete for the WS. There’s plenty of other ways to shed payroll without losing one of the best players in the game.
Tampa Bay Rays in the playoffs, 96+ wins, around $50 million in salaries. Somebody knows how to get it done.
Did Tampa win a WS last year? In the last 10 years? Congrats to the Rays for things working out a year or two here and there but they wont be a serious team until they will atleast retain some of their talent for some money.
I’ll be amazed if they can trade him for a decent prospect haul only thing I could see is holding on to him for the last year then outbid everyone in free agency or try to it will obviously be his contract year next season
This is an interesting one. Surprised the Red Sox didn’t extend him this season on an 8 years or so contract at about 25-27 million annually. There would be about half a dozen teams that ‘might’ feel comfortable making that sort of commitment. I’m not convinced entering free agency is the best option. Maybe a trade and extend candidate. Teams should hang on to high rated prospects.
Red Sox have offered him several extensions and he isnt interested. He hasnt said he won’t sign in Boston, just that he wants to reach the free agent bidding war.
If (when) a team trades for Mookie you get 2 things:
1) a MVP caliber outfielder for a year
2) basically a free 1st round draft pick at the end.
You know he’s going to sign for more than 50m, the only question is whether the acquiring team is revenue sharing and you pick near comp A or comp b of the first round (unless you go into lux tax which is the teams own perogative.)
Any return should be a 1st round caliber prospect PLUS whatever Mookie’s performance is worth for a year.
What about the cardinals trading Wong or Edman with Tyler O’Neill and one or two starting pitching prospects (I’m thing Ponce de Leon or Gomber) to get Betts. I’m just spitballing here but wouldn’t that benefit both teams?
cardinals trade paul dejong and jack flaherty for bogaerts and mookie
Hell no lol
lol
Let me guess cardinals fan lol.
I know BosSox fans would love to get a boatload of prospects back in a Mookie trade, but why would any team do that? They can just wait a year and sign FA Betts long term and still have all of their prized prospects.
I know BosSox fans want to keep Betts, but if the team is mandated to get under the Luxury Tax threshold, Boston can either unload just Betts or gut the entire rest of the team to get under the threshold. It makes most sense to trade Betts, but other teams know that, so Boston is in a very weak bargaining position.
Here’s something that might make some sense in Boston’s predicament. Trade Betts and his $30M salary to the Dbacks for Robbie Ray and his $9M salary. Boston lowers payroll by $21M, gets a starting pitcher, and still gets a compensation pick since Ray, like Betts is in his last year of arbitration. Dbacks get a quality OF for $21M and 1 year, (they need Ofers) and get a compensation pick if they choose not to sign Betts to an extension.
D’backs would be paying 30 million a year not 21. I don’t see it happening they are rebuilding the roster that’s why Greinke and Goldschmidt were traded.
Think about the math.
As the same source of this article suggested about a week ago they were at $218M after probably high arb figures and money for medical costs and other money I didnt know counted. Thats only $10M over. If anyone is giving JBJ a raise over his $8M salary he should be traded or released and I like JBJ. That also included nearly $4M for Leon, obvious cut, almost $2M for Hembree who us easily replaced. If JD stays that is where you are at w Chavis-Travis-Dalbec at first, Hernandez-Chavis-Chatham at second. Hernandez-Johnson-Houck-Wright as 5th starter. If JD opts out you get more financial relief and sign an older DH on a 1 year deal. Either way you take one more shot w Mookie, Benny, Bogaerts, Devers as tge offensive core and Sale, Price and Eovaldi bouncing back.
Betts isn’t extending and if he were the Red Sox would be the ones that extend him
Look, as a Yankees fan I enjoy seeing Boston suffer and struggle. Nothing makes me happier, but what does their front office know about Mookie that we don’t if they’re not throwing a blank check at him and asking him to fill out the amount himself?
He’s unquestionably the face of the franchise, and I get that it’s his decision to test the market next winter. Why wouldn’t he bet on himself with his talent and the way he’s played the last couple years? But if I’m Boston, I don’t let him get anywhere near free agency even if that means paying him 35 million annually for the next decade.
On the opposite side of the coin, who are realistic trade partners and what’s a realistic return for a perennial MVP candidate with only 1 year of control? Some people on this thread have suggested the options are limited to contenders only, but what about a fringe team like the Mets who with their current core could very much go for it next year? It would only be a one-year commitment to Betts’ salary, Boston would likely pay some of it for a better return, and if it doesn’t work out he’s a free agent anyway.
Atlanta could be an option if they could afford it
Where would Atlanta play him? I get that Markakis is on a 1-year deal and he could be allowed to walk, but with Acuna, Inciarte and Riley locked in, where does that leave Betts?
Riley likely moves back to 3B next year assuming they don’t re-sign Donaldson, but Atlanta still has a surplus of OF options. Of course, for someone like Mookie, you make room and find a place to slot him in.
OF could be Acuna Markakis Betts
Or sub Inciarte for Markakis
Can Atlanta trust Ender? Idk
Atlanta will give you a signed Chipper Jones used jock strap for 1 year of Mookie Betts. Braves have Acuna, Watters and Pache – who will be a GG OF – pegged in the OF for the next 7 years. Perhaps the Cubs will give you Heyward and that contract for him. Otherwise … enjoy 2020 with him.
Blue Jays pick up Mookie and trade Shapiro, Atkins, The Toronto Maple Leafs, and a ten year unlimited supply of Molsons.
Betts for White Sox prospects Michael Kopech and Nick Madrigal.
No – thinking more like Betts and Price for Ar. Bummer and Jake Burger
Cardinals!! Tyler O’Neal, Dylan Carlson and Junior Fernandez and Alex Reyes
Alex Reyes has no value after all that crap he’s been through
Wow. I remember when arbitration pretty much wasn’t much more than throwing a few extra peanuts a young players way. Now it’s actually a significant chunk of change.
I’m a Braves fan and if I’m playing GM for the moment, this is the trade I offer and wont go further than:
Bryce Wilson
Huascar Ynoa
Braden Shewmake
WAIT!!!! DON’T BLAST ME YET!!!!
Let me explain myself because I imagine there are even my fellow Braves fans who realize this package doesn’t get it done.
1. It’s just two years of Betts…TWO! Whoever you trade to get him that’s all you get.
2. No extension and there is ZERO chance the Braves swim in the deep waters with the teams that would be willing to pay him the kind of money he is after.
3. The Braves penalties in the foreign market means they have to be especially careful with their prospects because they are at a disadvantage with everyone else.
4. The Braves as a system are deep in the outfield. I know Betts is the kind of player you make exceptions for but with prospects being their most significant coin, if they use them they need to address weaknesses.
I am FULLY aware that if this were the package the Braves offer there is ZERO chance the Braves land him and I am okay with that. I have no doubt Betts would make a tremendous impact. Just the idea Betts joining that Braves line up sounds rediculous to face but I just don’t think a package that DOES land Betts is good for the Braves long term future.
The Cubs are my warning sign. I don’t want the Braves to mortgage their future even if they win a world series. I would rather take our chances on allowing talent to develop and keep a consistently competing club. I think trading for Betts would be detrimental to that because even ONE year of Betts will cost something around a top 50 prospect, top 100 prospect and one or two more wild card prospects.
its only 1 year of Betts
You kind of had it there but you ruined it with the wrong amount of years
Meh..it was an oops. The points are only more valid.
Ok I got it, everyone here will love these ideas, Chris archer straight up for Mookie or or Jorge “the greatest of all time “ soler with other prospects coming from Boston, cause you know he’s so damn good.
I am going to throw out a scenario that could take life here soon…. New Boston GM probably wants his OWN stamp on the team.. Needs to shed Payroll and get value for Betts (if he wanted to stay in Boston I am 100% sure he would have signed a 10/350 type extension already) while it can ..ONE draft pick ain’t crap for Betts.. So who and for what?
My Padres are a logical (and perhaps the only team that can do this)
take on Price $$$ + get Betts and Benentendi in the process.. Taking on $96 mil (Price) is a huge negative value so Pads ask for Benentendi to offset it while adding Wil Myers ($63 owed) to the deal on their end.. Wil has more talent in his pinky than most players in the game but hasnt been able to sustain spurts of superior production throughout a season.. Boston (like Papi) seems to get the best out of players..I think Wil becomes a Star in Boston ..30 HR/30 2B 30 SB type.. so my package would be
Myers+ Naylor (potentially better bat vs Benintendi..but more DH/OF/1B with limited D) + Joey Lucchesi (improves Boston’s 4/5 at minimum $$) + Arias (A+ ball stud SS) + Morejon (got a taste of mlb has TOR type stuff) + Hedges (maybe the games best defensive C) + Jacob Nix (another SDP P with upside) + Margot.. Thats a lot of mlb tested or ready pieces and one stud SS (2yrs or so away).. all the arms should make Bostons roster and if they don’t should be a phone call away ..that adds a lot of controllable “cheap ” pieces to an over-priced roster.. why Pads do this.. even with the added payroll Pads overall would still be at or below league avg $125-$130 mil overall.. Price aint worth $32 mil anymore .. but can still be a Veteran presence in the middle of the young Padres rotation of Gore/Paddack/Price/Richards/Lamet alongside Richards…. Benintendi improves D in LF (vs Naylor) and Betts plays CF in between him and Renfroe… I think a blockbuster like this helps both teams in 20 and beyond
Padres aren’t a Mookie Betts away from winning a championship in 2020.
You are absolutely correct. The Padres need at least a Porcello if they want a WS parade in 2020.
No pitching
Hell, I’ll do it! You had me at getting rid of Benintendi. And Price!!
Henry – Volume trades rarely match up. When is the last time you have seen a 3 for 8 player trade? Never. Boston will not want to take on so many players on their 40 man roster. There are also few players coming from the Padres that truly excite. Naylor profiles as a DH and Boston already has one. Nix, Margot, Lucchesi do not bring the upside that Price and Benitendi bring. A number 14 prospect even in a good system and stud do not go together.
I am not a Boston fan at all, but the Red Sox would hang up the phone very quickly.
I like it. Well-thought-out and there’s a lot of guys going to Boston. I don’t mind taking on Wil Myers especially if price is gone and we get all that stuff back for Mookie. I would do it yesterday. You can have benintendi he’s been sort of a disappointment. Kind of a dough boy too.
Would Boston have room on their 40 man roster for all that stuff? At least 6 of those players would have to be placed on Boston’s 40 man roster.
It is a quantity for quality trade that Henry is good for.
I would look at trading him, for the simple reasons of Payroll reduction and he won’t sign any kind of extension before being a free agent. They could bring him back in free agency if he is missed. I still feel the sox will be very competitive without him. They need a starting pitcher and prospects in return. I would keep Martinez if possible.
There is no point in keeping Mookie.
They won’t resign him in free agency.
They can’t afford him.
It’s just a matter of what they can get for him.
Especially with what the Red Sox brass said yesterday.
I’d get rid of Price before Mookie but don’t think anyone would want Price over Mookie.
Mookie for Correa. Who says no?
I would trade Mookie now! Get a couple of established major league players and a couple of prospects
The Mets haven’t had a center fielder that can hit and play the field in just about forever. Here is the trade scenario I envision:
Mets trade Stroman and Nimmo for Betts.
Stroman would solve their immediate need for a starting pitcher while Nimmo would replace Betts in right field. A definite downgrade from Betts but Nimmo is far better than the other options Boston has.
The Mets probably can’t afford Nimmo long term so after about a week they make this trade:
Mets trade Betts to Yankees for Aaron Hicks.
Hicks is signed long term to an affordable deal that won’t put that big a crimp in their budget. They can resign Wheeler to fill in the hole left by trading Stroman. The Yankees get a superstar to play center field and can either resign him or let him go if they think Florial is the real deal.
The solution to cutting Boston payroll could be to unload David Price for whatever you could get for him.
It can be done, but we all know it’s gonna require BOS to eat a big chunk of that contract as was the case with Sandoval. At least with Betts the Sox can expect to get real value in return while reducing payroll.
So why don’t fans see that once a player gets the big contract many dog it. The trick is to get hungry young inexpensive players.
Tampa and Oakland have been great for years and all with well below average payrolls.
How many titles have they won ? That would be ZERO!
Do you think Trout and Harper dogged it this year?
Oh and what about JD did he dog it?
My best guess would be they trade their star. Unless Betts takes a hometown discount they might be better long term by dealing him for blue chippers. This team has so much talent hitting all at once that keeping the core together has become a tall order. The Yankees will experience this soon when some of their core need big dollar contracts as well. When the kids can play, they’re gonna want that bigtime pay! Bosox would probably rather spend that $ on pitching.
Why is the threshold an issue? John Henry has more money than God! Keeping Betts, Holt, Bradley, Devers, Rodriguez, JD Martinez SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE! JUST PAY IT!
I DON’T want to be competitive ! I WANT to win the division, I WANT to beat the yankees, I WANT to win MORE World Series and ANYTHING short of that is UNACCEPTABLE! John Henry and Sam Kennedy should be BOOED out of Fenway Park by Red Sox Nation for TRYING to sell us ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT!
All 10 team in the playoffs paid less than Boston to get there. Money alone doesn’t work.
and one last point. It doesn’t matter what any of us think it’s John Henry that has decided to draw the line at 208 million annually next year. and I can’t blame him.
If they don’t sign Betts and JD doesn’t comeback with the increase in ticket prices and the Red Sox have another season like this one, JOHN HENRY IS TO BLAME! HE HAS THE MONEY PAY THEM, NOW! I DON’T CARE WHAT OTHER TEAMS DO!
YAZ, How many games to attend at Fenway Park?
If he’s shopped, I expect there will be plenty of interested clubs (CIN, NYM, HOU). I think he’d end up with the Dodgers who have prospects that can fill BOS needs (1B, 2B, C, SP).