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Update:
The mystery team has been revealed as the Minnesota Twins. Ken Rosenthal reports that the Dodgers will send RHP Kenta Maeda to the Twins in exchange for cash and 21-year old RHP Brusdar Graterol, who is then being sent to Boston for the Betts/Price package. The Red Sox will also be getting Alex Verdugo from the Dodgers.
The name that stands out the most here is Graterol’s, who took the mound ten times out of the bullpen last season. He allowed five runs on ten hits over 9 2⁄3 innings. Prior to his debut in the show, the highly regarded prospect touted a 1.92 ERA over 61 innings and three different levels of minor league ball.
Original story:
Not to be shown up by the Iowa Caucus, baseball has brought new drama just days before pitchers and catchers report, the Dodgers have acquired superstar outfielder Mookie Betts from the Red Sox, reports ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan.
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a deal with the Boston Red Sox that would send star outfielder Mookie Betts and starter David Price to the Dodgers, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Deal is pending medical reviews.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 5, 2020
If you’ve stopped screaming long enough to read this article, take a deep breath because there is a * cue the lasers * MYSTERYYYYY TEAM, according to Ken Rosenthal.
While the deal is pending medical records, unless David Price has sustained an ambitious and tragic Fortnite accident, we can pretty much start printing the jerseys.
The brings the Red Sox, who will now go into spring training without their franchise player and World Series winning general manger, a significant cut to their payroll. While they’ll stay under the luxury tax, the team is now in a transitional period of both rebuilding and in a way, rebranding.
Betts. a four-time All Star, 2018 AL MVP, and all around fun player to watch, hit free agency this season after turning down multiple contract extension offers from the Red Sox. His settled arbitration salary finally came to $27M, which is now the Dodgers problem.
Price, after signing a 7-year/$217M contract with the Red Sox in 2016, will be owed $32M from the Dodgers in this upcoming season and through 2022. While he had a rocky season last year with a 4.28 ERA, the 2012 Cy Young winner came in clutch when it counted: the 2018 postseason, hurling a 1.98 ERA in the World Series.
More on this story as it develops because we all know something is about to go down.