Mookie Betts says trade from Red Sox came down to 2 potential suitors
By Scott Rogust
The trade sweepstakes for Mookie Betts came down to the Los Angeles Dodgers and a mystery team.
Trading one of the best players in MLB was a tough decision for the Boston Red Sox, but they simply couldn’t afford the contract extension he was asking for. Ultimately, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the long-expected landing spot for Betts, pulled the trigger on the three-team trade that also involved the Minnesota Twins. We didn’t hear many other names interested in Betts besides the Dodgers, but the multi-millionaire outfielder gave the word the identity of a mystery suitor.
During an appearance on the “R2C2 Podcast” with former MLB pitcher CC Sabathia and Ryan Ruoco, Betts revealed that the trade sweepstakes came down to the Dodgers and their NL West rivals in the San Diego Padres.
Were there any other teams involved in trading for @mookiebetts or was it just the Dodgers?
— The Ringer (@ringer) September 24, 2020
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The Padres tried to swing a deal for Betts but to no avail
Dodgers and Padres were the only two teams that were seriously trying to acquire Betts, which he had no problem with. The outfielder did joke that the only bad thing was that he had to pay those dreadful California taxes, which you can’t blame him for. Still, he’s extremely happy to be in the Golden State.
Upon his trade to the Dodgers, many thought the trade was overkill, making the NL West powerhouse the instant favorites to win the World Series in 2020. But can you imagine Betts in a batting order alongside Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado? That would have been insane! But that hypothetical sits in an alternate universe. Even so, the Padres still ended up in great shape, as they clinched their first postseason berth since 2006.
The Dodgers sent outfielder Alex Verdugo, shortstop Jeter Downs and catcher Connor Wong to the Red Sox in exchange for Betts and starting pitcher David Price. A couple of months following the trade, Los Angeles signed Betts to a 12-year, $365 million contract extension before the start of the 2020 truncated season.
More. MVP is a secondary prize for Mookie Betts. light
Through 52 games this season, Betts slashed .295/.366/.576 while recording 62 hits, 44 runs scored, 16 home runs and 39 RBI. The Dodgers won the NL West and enter the postseason as the top seed in the postseason.
So there you have it, folks. After Betts turned down Boston’s $300 million contract offer, he was ending up in California one or another.