The signs of spring are all around us: The Super Bowl confetti litters the ground, the groundhog saw his shadow, and the truck leaves Monday for spring training.
But for the Boston Red Sox, two huge questions linger: Who will manage the 2020 club, and what’s the deal with Mookie Betts?
The first question doesn’t seem very close to being answered, but the second inquiry is becoming clearer and clearer by the day, as it appears more and more likely Betts will have a new team when the 2020 season begins.
The Athletic’s Peter Gammons on Sunday tweeted it’s “inevitable” the Red Sox trade Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers. One day later, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweeted something similar, saying “Everyone around the game expects Mookie Betts to be traded, and soon.”
Three different NL folks today predicted Betts-to-L.A. is "inevitable." Consensus deal:Alex Verdugo, Inf Jeter Downs, pitcher, maybe A prospect. Think P is LH Caleb Ferguson, 95 MPH FB/CB guy, 113-39 K-BB in 93.1 IP, eventual starter. Got brushed off Gray
— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) February 2, 2020
And now, back to baseball. Everyone around the game expects Mookie Betts to be traded, and soon. Dodgers/Padres continue to appear to be the main contenders.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 3, 2020
Those reports should come as little surprise given the increased momentum toward a deal in the last week or so. Early last week, reports surfaced that Boston and the San Diego Padres were talking about a deal centered around the 2018 American League MVP. As the week progressed, the Dodgers seemingly reentered the sweepstakes, and if we’re to believe Gammons, LA is in the driver’s seat.
The Boston Globe reported Sunday night that a resolution could come “within the next few days.” The same report indicated the Padres are still in the running.
“According to the sources,” The Globe’s Alex Speier wrote, “both San Diego and Los Angeles have outlined multiple trade offers for the 2018 AL MVP, with talks with both teams at a relatively advanced stage — though according to a source with one of those teams, the Red Sox have not made a request for a last and best offer for their superstar right fielder.”
Red Sox pitchers and catchers report to spring training Feb. 11, and the first full-squad workout is two weeks from Monday. It would make sense for any and all teams involved to want a trade done before spring training begins, but when you’re dealing with a player of Betts’ caliber as well as potential contractual hurdles, it’s easy to see why the deal doesn’t just get done overnight.
