Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts underwent an MRI on Monday that revealed left foot inflammation, according to Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. The issue has kept Betts out since Sept. 12, and with the Red Sox’s playoff hopes all but dead, he doesn’t seem like a lock to return in 2019. As you’d expect, though, Betts is hopeful he’ll see action again this year, Mastrodonato writes. The reigning AL MVP hasn’t been quite as otherworldly as he was during Boston’s championship-winning 2018, but that’s hardly a knock on his performance this season. Betts has still batted a fantastic .293/.391/.527 with 28 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 680 plate appearances, and his 6.3 fWAR ranks eighth among AL position players.
- One of Betts’ injured teammates, left-hander David Price, doesn’t seem likely to pitch again this season. Price’s ailing left wrist continues to stop him from throwing anything but fastballs, per Mastrodonato. Red Sox brass plans to discuss a potential surgery with Price, though it doesn’t seem as if it would be a major procedure. Price’s wrist has troubled him dating back to last season, and the cortisone shot he underwent on it in early August hasn’t produced the type of results he or Boston hoped for at the time. The 34-year-old has made only two starts and totaled 4 2/3 innings since July ended. His most recent outing came Sept. 1.
- Designated hitter J.D. Martinez is day-to-day after exiting the Red Sox’s marathon game against the Giants on Tuesday with left groin tightness, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. It’s conceivable the big-hitting Martinez is in his final days as a Red Sox, as he could decide after the season to opt out of the guaranteed three years and $62.5MM left on the contract he signed going into the 2018 campaign. The 32-year-old Martinez would be taking an enormous gamble in leaving the rest of that deal on the table, but he has arguably made a case to do so by putting up yet another huge season at the plate (albeit nowhere near as impactful as his 2017-18 showings).
- As of two weeks ago, infielder Michael Chavis looked like a candidate to miss the rest of the season after suffering a setback in his recovery from an oblique strain. It now appears the rookie will play again this year, though, with Mastrodonato noting he could be healthy enough to return over the weekend. Chavis, who hasn’t played since Aug. 11, got off to a sizzling start this season before his production tailed off during the summer.
More baaaaad news! I hate to think of JD leaving cuz Boris calls the shots. And I hate that Mookie will be traded, but all he talks about is FA. If he’s not traded he’ll be leaving n the Redsox get zero for him. It’s gonna be a sad off season.
They won’t get zero for him. At the very least they will get the draft pick compensation since they are obviously going to give him a QO. He will likely be the highest ranked free agent so even if the signing team signs multiple QO players you can bet that Boston will get the best compensation. Not only that but Boston should still give it a run next year. Izf they don’t think they stand a chance next year then there are a bunch of other players they should try to trade before Betts. If they trade Betts this off season they would be well advised to go ahead and trade the more highly paid yet less valuable players they have on their roster as well. If JD actually opts out then Boston should be able to resign Mookie. I know he is hitting FA but Boston outbids for FA players all the time. It’s a big question as to what they will do though. I understand how BoSox fans can feel in limbo. You got a championship out of Dombrowski but it’s obvious the era of GMs like him are over. Look on the bright side. Your last GM made similar moves with Adrian Gonzalez as well as Carl Crawford. Y’all cane back from that pretty quick. With Boston’s payroll there is no reason to assume that there will be a long term championship drought.
Which highly paid but less valuable player are you referencing? There aren’t exactly a lot of guys on that roster with any trade value at all, unless you’re looking to trade away the young and controllable assets like Devers, Benintendi, or Xander.
I will be very upset if any of those 3 get traded, in fact I want Brockstar bk too.
AB has solid value despite his under performance. If JDM stays, AB should be traded before he becomes expensive. He should bring back top value this year. Moving forward good but not superstar outfielders seem to lose value as they get closer to free agency. If JDM leaves, then I’d trade Betts who despite only one year, it’s a full year and a team will pay for that one year. The Sox staff got old quickly. 2018 everything went right (other than Kimbrel). This year, all wrong. They used the time the championship gave them up by crapping out in 2019.
The Red Sox get a fifth round pick for Betts if he turns down the QO. Having the first pick in the 5th round isn’t that much more valuable than having the fourth pick in the 5th round.
If they want meaningful compensation for him they need to trade him or hope that another Tom Brady is waiting to be drafted.
They need to trade Mookie. He obviously doesn’t feel the same as the X man did or he wouldn’t have been turning down all the good offers n cry he wants FA.
The offers weren’t great nor were they meant to be. I heard $200m but the years made it a non-starter. It was simply a feeler to see if they could get Mookie to commit to seriously negotiating. Since they haven’t been able to, they should in my view privately go to him and his agent and give them a deadline of say through the end of the WS to agree to sit down and have real discussions if he wants to remain in Boston. Perhaps they already have had that discussion. Time will tell.
They might as well play their whole triple A club at the majors and let all the veterans take the rest of the year off
Actually AAA doesn’t have much other than Houck and Dalbec that haven’t been brought up.
AA has some very young pitching prospects.
If Duran goes to the Arizona Fall League he may be a player next year if Mookie is moved. He has very good speed and he showed an ability to hit and play outfield @ Salem.
Every team has players in the minors that don’t seem like stars yet turn into them. With Boston years ago, I think of Josh Reddick. He was never considered a top prospect and when he was traded, no one thought much of it. My real worry is the team’s pitching moving forward.
Perhaps if Tampa does play 1/2 it’s home schedule in Montreal they might get a lucrative enough TV deal to get some high priced FA’s to go with their developed talent and shrewd trades. We are going to hear more from the Ray’s.
Perhaps the Sox should ask permission to talk with their GM?
The Sox probs will not be ending Oct 1—they will be ‘on hold’ for the time being.
If JD walks–they may look closely @ Encarnacion; he’s been on their radar
If JD thinks he will find a suitor in the AL to pay him more than $25 M to be DH-he could be right. The Angel have 2 DH’s, the Yankees have 3 or 4. The O’s I doubt will sign him. The Jays are possible but appear to have a younger DH in Bichette or Vlad. Tampa could definitely use him.
Central Teams–maybe Cleveland–Tigers no. Twins are getting younger.
Not the Astros. White Sox might explore if Abreu is moved.
Seattle? The A’s–they have Davis. Rangers, possible. Royals, possible to show fans they are serious..
Without the Yankees, Sox and Angels in the bidding and no DH in the NL–he will most likely be back next year. If he comes back the Sox could potentially trade him at the deadline if they are not in contention
Rays!!?? Royals!!??
LOL!
The White Sox will likely be all in on JD. They have the money to spend and he would be a valuable mentor to their young hitters
The White Sox SAY they have the money to spend, but none of it has actually been spent on a high priced FA.
I think he’d be nuts to opt out. That’s a lot of money to leave on the table for a d.h.
If JD stays on his current deal he will make around $62 million over the next 3 years. It’s not unreasonable to think he can get a 3 years and $75 million if he opts out
I think it’s a big risk. He is limited to just the AL, what big spenders will pay that much for a dh?
Castellanos is a poor man’s version of JDM but is also younger and will be on the market too. Teams might offer JdM more per year but it could be for only one year with an option. The question I ask is does JDM want to stay.? If so, the risk is not worth it and if not, the money he’s banked makes money a less important factor.
There’s no guarantee he ops out. He’s getting older and is not a good defensive player. He and Boris probably work out a deal with the Sox and JD likes it there. Boris worked with the Sox on Bogarts early contract vs free agency. Also I have a feeling Mookie is talking FA as business in a way to push the Sox for a larger contract. Is he going to win in say Atlanta? Always rumored. The Sox aside from JD and Mookie need to focus on adding to their starting rotation. Sale and Price are injury ?? and Porcello is a FA. They need to sign 1 or 2 starters and a reliever and pray the Sale and Price are able to perform.
Yes, Betts COULD win in Atlanta but I can’t see Atlanta meeting his asking price.
All these Atlanta rumors came up when he made the statement that he would love to play in Atlanta. I think his statement was more about not wanting to poison his own market.
SalaryCapMyth,
Mookie isn’t going anywhere. Boston will lock him up in the offseason. He’s a generational talent that you rarely see that can do it all just like Mike Trout.
Those 2 are the most talented players in todays game.
Mookie signs with Boston and with the core of Devers, Benintendi and Xander . Boston contends again next year. Everyone was foolish to think the Red Sox wouldn’t take a step back pretty much everything went right last year this year the opposite of that. Go Sox
Season isn’t over yet till we’re mathematically eliminated. Not looking good but ya gotta still believe.
If JD wants to stay, he will either opt in or get Boris to negotiate a new deal or extension. Boris works for the player and the player can tell him what he wants them to do. In regards to Mookie, they should make him a serious extension offer if they want to keep him and trade him if he doesn’t sign. you can’t risk losing him for a compensation pick when you could most likely get something more valuable back in a trade. They have a bunch of money coming off the books after this year and will have the ability to play in the FA market to fill in some holes.
They already used the money that’s coming off the books for the most part when they committed to Eovaldi, Sale and Xander.