Well the Red Sox, as everyone knows, have traded away a top five player in the league in Mookie Betts. The Sox tried to keep him around with an offer of 10 years $300 million to which Mookie responded with a counter of 12 years $420 million. Either Mookie was a former shmot head and loves 420 or he believes his annual rate of $35 million is worth it; which it is. Baseballs top five biggest contracts are as follows:

1. Mike Trout: 12 years $430 million
2. Bryce Harper: 13 years $330
3. Giancarlo Stanton: 13 years $325 million
4. Manny Machado: 10 years $300 million
5. Nolan Arenado: 8 years $260 million

The asking price of Mookie would fall into the category of Trout with his annual salary being right around $35 million depending on any incentives inside the contract– which I imagine wouldn’t be too much because the man is getting his money. Anyways, the Red Sox essentially said “fuck that” and traded one of baseballs best and consistent players to another team that essentially goes “all in” every year for the past five years, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The trade was:

Los Angeles Dodgers receive: Mookie Betts, David Price, Brusdar Graterol, and Luke Raley, Cash (from Red Sox), 2020 Competitive Round B draft pick from Twins,

Boston Red Sox Receive: Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, Connor Wong (from Dodgers),

Minnesota Twins Receive: Kenta Maeda, Jair Camargo, Cash (from Dodgers)

The Dodgers seem to be the ones willing to either win with Mookie (which is a high possibility), sign him long-term, that is if he likes it there, (remember he is human and could just flat out not be feelin the California vibes and it’s marijuana laws), and or take the risk of going on all and not winning it like years prior. The Dodgers also take on David Price’s $96 million for the next three years and sacrifice some cap space along with it given they blow it in the next three years and don’t do anything positive.

The Red Sox however, have randomly and not so randomly decided to g cut payroll and work with the young core they have intact. Along with Alex Verdugo, who in his first full year in bigs slashed .294/.342/.475–.817 OPS– with 12 home runs, 44 RBI’s, 22 doubles, 43 runs through 106 games and 343 at bats showing an advanced skill set with the bat. The dude has got talent and has answered all of the prior questions, before making his debut, that any doubters had.

As most of us baseball nerds know, is that Brusdar graterol was supposed to be the other man joining Verdugo in Boston, but due to the medical staff of the Red Sox and their medical evaluation, Brusdal had some sketch things going on that the Red Sox were not too fond of and decided to pass on him.

Of Course there had to be a fill in and that “fill in” was Jeter Downs. “Fill in” is the wrong phrase to use for a player like Jeter Downs. First of all, it’s hilarious that the Red Sox now have a player with the name “Jeter” in it and all Yankee fans can cry when he starts to destroy the Yankees, and was ironically named after the Yankee Great, but Downs is actually a very good player. Downs has reached Double-A as a professional and slashed .333/.429/.688 with 5 bombs, two doubles, 11 RBI’s and one steal through a meager 12 games and 48 at bats but was drafted in the first round 32nc overall by the Reds. The dude has talent and has shown MLB scouts that he’s not just a dude with a name.

As for the Red Sox as a whole, the Red Sox signed Xander Bogaerts to a 7 year extension for $132 million during the 2019 season that saw him breakout to the tune of .309/.384/.555–.939 OPS–, 5th in the American League, with 33 home runs, 117 RBI’S, 110 runs, 52 doubles, and a offensive WAR of 7.1. Legit MVP caliber stats. Rafael Devers, who is still under arbitration control, batted .311/.361/.555 through 156 games and 647 at bats to go on to smash 32 home runs, 115 RBI’s, lead the league in doubles with 54 and place 2nd to only *former* teammate Mookie Betts who had 135. Devers will almost certainly command a contract of upwards of $100+ million at the ripe age of 23 this off-season or next given he has 3 years left of arbitration. If the Red Sox were any bit of competent they would lock this man up sooner rather than later so he doesn’t command $20+ mil in arbitration and if he learns to take a few extra pitches and get that OBP up, he could command even more money than my generous example.

Cannot forget about Andrew Benintendi who is still 25 and has a sweet left handed swing. Although he hasn’t just yet tapped into his power potential, Benintendi shows the likes of a great approach at the plate as well as being able to drive the ball to all fields and of course know when to take a walk evidenced by his career .354 OBP. This man will eventually have it all click and show the power stroke some scouts evaluated him with coming out of college as his great swing will hopefully translate more into a power stroke than gap to gap power. Either way, Benintendi is a great baseball player and will do just fine. Can you tell he’s low-key one of my favorite players?

One last guy for the young core the Red Sox have is Michael Chavis. This is a guy who was a bit overlooked because his position was taken by Rafael Devers, but Chavis is no slouch as evidenced by his .254/.322/.444 with 18 home runs, 55 RBI’s, and 46 runs. Although his approach needs some improvement– 31 walks compared to 126 strikeouts– he has shown enough to be a more than competent hitter with years to improve.

Overall, even with the trade of one of the leagues best position players and a pitcher with a name that holds greater value than his production, David Price, the Red Sox could be worse off. A lot of people are calling this a sign of the greater things to come in terms of trade wise and a “rebuild phase” but the Sox aren’t as bad off as some people think. They still won’t catch the Tampa Bay Rays, but this season–just like any season– should be exciting to see what’s going on in the AL East. Thank you.