Dodgers News: Mookie Betts, David Price Trade Finally Agreed Upon
After nearly a week of drama, there’s finally positive news with the Dodgers blockbuster deal that is bringing All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts and former Cy Young award winner David Price to Los Angeles.
Yes, the deal is happening!
Here’s the latest and greatest from Jeff Passan of ESPN on the reported deal.
BREAKING: The trade that will send Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers has been agreed upon, sources tell ESPN. Outfielder Alex Verdugo and shortstop Jeter Downs are among those who will go to the Boston Red Sox.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 9, 2020
The deal changed from its original form and now the Dodgers will indeed be adding prospects to sweeten the pot for Boston. Yes, Los Angeles will still receive Betts, Price, and cash from the Red Sox. In exchange, second-year LA outfielder Alex Verdugo will be heading to the Sox along with shortstop prospect Jeter Downs and catching prospect Connor Wong.
UPDATE
Moreover, the Twins are still involved in a deal with the Dodgers involving Kenta Maeda and Brusdar Graterol. More on that below or here.
Passan added more to the Boston/LA deal.
Catching prospect Connor Wong is headed to the Boston Red Sox alongside outfielder Alex Verdugo and shortstop Jeter Downs in the trade that will send outfielder Mookie Betts, starter David Price and cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources tell ESPN. Players have been notified.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 9, 2020
As for the other part of the original three-team deal, it seems that it is still on, but only between LA and Minnesota.
#Twins receiving Kenta Maeda and cash from #Dodgers in final version of trade, source confirms. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) February 9, 2020
#Dodgers will end up with Brusdar Graterol in current version of Betts-Price trade, source says. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) February 9, 2020
#Dodgers sending $10M with Maeda and receiving #MNTwins’ Comp B draft pick in 2020, source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 9, 2020
#MNTwins also getting low-level minor leaguer from #Dodgers in addition to Maeda and $10M, source says.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 9, 2020
The Twins and Dodgers will be teaming up to send Kenta Maeda to Minnesota in exchange for flame-throwing prospect Brusdar Graterol. LA is also sending cash to the Twins to offset incentives in Kenta’s contract and will receive a yet unnamed outfield prospect, and a 2020 draft pick in return.
Moreover, Maeda will reportedly receive a $1M assignment bonus for the trade.
Of course, this deal was held up over concerns that arose after Boston reviewed the medicals of Twins Graterol. Since that point, the Red Sox have been pushing for another prospect out of Minnesota or Los Angeles. Understandably, both teams balked at that idea.
Until Sunday.
UPDATE 2
Medicals are done. The Sox/Dodgers deal just requires MLB approval of the $48M cash transfer.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) February 10, 2020
The deal is now the most official it will be until the clubs announce the trade within the next day or so, if not sooner.
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[adace-ad id=”119376″]Who’s In
Mookie Betts
In Betts, the Dodgers will be acquiring a 4-time All-Star and former AL MVP who has accumulated almost 40 Wins Above Replacement per Baseball-Reference over the last 5 seasons, second only to Mike Trout of the Angels. The right-handed batting outfielder has spent most of his time batting out of the lead-off spot and is expected to resume that duty for LA.
Related: Dodgers Lineup Construction with Mookie Betts
David Price
David Price is a 12-year MLB veteran, 5-time All-Star, and former Cy Young award winner in the American League. The 34-year-old battled injuries in 2019 but still made 22 starts while posting a 3.62 FIP in 107.1 innings pitched.
So, Price for $16M per season over the next three years. https://t.co/dVMD1sVF34
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 9, 2020
Ken Rosenthal confirms reports that Boston will pay about half of the $93M owed to Price over the next 3 seasons. He is expected to slot in behind Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw in the Los Angeles rotation.
Brusdar Graterol
Graterol is a hard-throwing 21-year-old right-handed pitcher that can touch 100mph on his fastball. He underwent Tommy John surgery in the minor leagues earlier in his career, and suffered through a shoulder impingement last season before making his big league debut in September.
Brusdar Graterol, Unfair 100mph Sinker. ? pic.twitter.com/oFc6MLrOhe
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 22, 2019
However, he is reportedly healthy and already throwing bullpen sessions at the Twins spring training complex in Florida.
Who’s Out
Alex Verdugo
Verdugo was drafted by the Dodgers in 2014 and made his MLB debut in 2017. After spending time bouncing back and forth from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles in 2018, he finally received regular playing time in 2019. However, back issues ended his season in early August.
Jeter Downs
Downs came to the Dodgers along with pitching prospect Josiah Gray in a trade with the Reds last off-season in exchange for Yasiel Puig, among others. Recently MLB Pipeline ranked Downs as the 8th best shortstop prospect in baseball. He currently sits as the 5th best prospect in a loaded Dodgers farm system.
Connor Wong
The 23-year-old catcher Wong was drafted by the Dodgers in the 3rd round of the 2017 draft. In 3 minor league seasons between rookie ball, Single-A, and Double-A, Wong has posted an OPS of .852 in 241 games.
Scout: Downs “fits perfectly” in Boston. The 3rd young player Wong is thought to profile as a backup catcher @ByRobertMurray 1st mentioned Wong
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 9, 2020
Kenta Maeda
The 31-year-old Maeda signed with the Dodgers out of Japan ahead of the 2016 season. Across 4 MLB campaigns, the right-hander has a 3.71 FIP pitching in both starting and relief roles with Los Angeles.
Next
With Betts and Price in tow, Los Angeles is next expected to complete a deal that would send outfielder Joc Pederson and pitcher Ross Stripling to the Angels in exchange for multiple prospects. This deal has been on hold while the Red Sox and Dodgers worked to complete the Betts trade.
The slow off-season finally paid off for Dodgers fans.
NEXT: Players and Fans React to Mookie Betts Trade on Social Media
We still come out on top with that trade. Downs could be a good shortstop; but Gray has a higher ceiling. So glad it was Downs. Wonder what happens with Maeda now?
STUPID
Still a Rental and we get to Bail out the Corrupt Sox on their blunder.
Are we still giving away joc and Stripling along with a good prospect?
Dodgers fans please contact front office and let and Andrew know he failed again today and needs to pack his bags.
Agree. Friedman caved to the corrupt unethical GM over there. Should’ve called his bluff and left them with their big contracts and then turned around and just traded with Minnesota for Graterol and begun the season
Its a salary dump Dodger Blue, plain and simple, and clears about 11 million off of the salary cap. Of course by your theory we could say no to the whole thing and just stick out our tongues at Baahston with a “we’ll show you,” mentality. And in the end we would be out two players that will make us better but that you seem to think we don’t need.
Man, if the Dodgers get Graterol this is an absolute coup. Maeda didn’t want the bullpen and this guy brings it.
The Redsox made chumps out of us again. Got 2 extra prospects out of us with their shady ways and Betts will be gone after this year and we’ll just have the declining Price. Why do we love to help them so much? They got something on somebody? Watch the Redsox do another retooling and win their next championship while we fail again for another 7 years
Watch the Redsox and Betts reach an agreement this offseason and Boston will have it all
We really don’t know the framework of the initial deal other than speculation by the pundits and fans. For all we know Wong or Downs were in the original offer and we had to add one or the other to finish it off. We still get the second best player in baseball, a very good #3 SP for just $16 million a year and a chance to sign Betts longterm.
I still love the deal. Gotta give up something to get something and to get Betts and Price for Verdugo, Downs and Wong is a great deal.
So they leaked every other player in the initial trade but somehow missed Downs and Wong? That is absurd. 99% chance Rosenthal and the other reporters had it right from the beginning.
And the Dodgers would have a chance to sign Betts in the offseason no matter which team he plays for in 2020. He has made it perfectly clear that it’s all about the $$ and there will be no hometown discount.
S what would initially have been a great trade has now turned into the Dodgers getting screwed. A 21 year old relief pitcher with two serious injuries under his belt for #44 MLB prospect Downs, a serviceable Connor Wong and $10 million.
Boston (and Minnesota) have made Friedman and his FO of suckers look like fools. And I thought the Red Sox were desperate to dump Price and trade Mookie to get under the salary cap. Looks like the other way around.
Agree with Dodger Blue. STUPID!! Now the Dodgers give up even more for a one year rental. I must be watching Abbott and Costello or maybe its the Three Stooges.
Jeter Downs is Dereks reta*ded brother right?