The Dodgers have acquired perennial all-star outfielder Mookie Betts and David Price along with $50 million in cash from the Red Sox. This was part of the three-team blockbuster trade with the Twins. Los Angeles sent outfielder Alex Verdugo to Boston and right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda to Minnesota. Rounding out the deal was Twins sending pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol to the Red Sox.
To the Dodgers:
Mookie, 27, has played in Boston his entire career hitting .301 with a 135 OPS+ in his six years in the majors. He’s a former American League MVP, four-time all-star, four-time Gold Glove, three-time Silver Slugger, and led the league in batting average in 2018.
David Price, 34, will play for a different team for the fifth time. He holds a career 3.31 ERA/80 ERA- and 3.35 FIP/82 FIP-. His 83 ERA- and 90 FIP- in his last two seasons closely matches his career numbers. His 2019 campaign was cut short when he had a cyst surgically removed from his wrist.
Dodgers traded:
Alex Verdugo, 23, was drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft. He played in 158 games in the majors across three seasons hitting .282 with a 107 OPS+. Boston can get 5 years of control out of him.
Kenta Maeda, 31, spent four seasons with the Dodgers putting up a 3.87 ERA/95 ERA- and a 3.71 FIP/89 FIP-. He has four more seasons left on his contract.
With the Dodgers receiving $50 million-plus unloading Maeda’s $3.125M and a projected $8 million-plus from Joc, the $58 million absorbed with the additions of Price and Betts is offset and the L.A. remains below the competitive balance tax threshold.
The Dodgers and Red Sox have headlined trade rumors nearly this whole off-season. Acquiring Betts and Price bolds well from a public relations standpoint for the Dodgers who’ve been sitting in a vat of controversy for not making any blockbuster trade or free-agent signing.
Oskar is a writer/editor for Dodgers-Lowdown. Follow him on Twitter @2rawsko94. Photo credit: Boston Globe