Unless your a fan of regular season NBA action or college basketball there’s some down time for you as far as sports go. The NHL is on it’s All-Star break. Thy did have their skills challenge last night and the All-Star tournament games are tonight. The NFL is in it’s off week or maybe we should say bye week as the Super Bowl will be played a week from tomorrow. They also held their skills challenge during the week and they do have the Pro Bowl game tomorrow. Unlike like last year in Major League Baseball where it seemed like we waited forever for the top free agent names to sign they’ve all signed already this off season. Now there are a few name value players still on the free agent market, but the big names that drew all the attention heading into the off season have signed. I guess luckily for us baseball did give us an interesting rumor to discuss towards the end of the week.
The Boston Red Sox don’t have a manager and they actually came out this week and said that they’d be okay with not having a manager when spring training starts. So while they’re still looking for a manager they’re also waiting for the commissioner’s office to conclude their investigation into the Red Sox sign stealing scandal and find out what if any punishment they will receive.
Now towards the end of the week there where some reports that the Red Sox would listen to offers on outfielder Mookie Betts, but this time there was a different team that came up in these rumors.
This time it was the San Diego Padres who express interest in acquiring Betts. The Red Sox have one of the lower ranked farm systems on baseball while the Padres farm system is one of the highest ranked ones on baseball. The Red Sox aren’t really in a position to lose any draft picks, but if you look at the punishment the Houston Astros received from Major League Baseball you’d have to be thinking that the Red Sox will lose some draft picks.
The question then becomes what and how much would the Padres be willing to give up in a deal for Betts. Remember Betts just signed a one year deal and he’ll become a free agent after the 2020 season. Would he be willing to re-sign with the Padres? Or is he interested in testing the free agent market?
The numbers that have been thrown out for Betts as a free agent next off season could be upwards of $35 million dollars a season. Now the Padres have Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer and Will Myers signed to big money deals, but there is talk that Myers would be part of a deal involving Betts. Could San Diego be able to afford one more big money deal?
Now San Diego’s estimated payroll for the 2020 season is a little over $155 million dollars; so it does appear as though they could add Betts to their roster and stay under the luxury tax.
You’d have to think that the Red Sox wouldn’t be interested in Myers who’s due to make $22.5 million dollars a season for the next three seasons and has an option year for the 2023 season at $20 million dollars. This may mean that a third team might have to be involved in this deal or San Diego might have to pick up a large chunk of what Myers is owed.
After working out if or how Myers would be involved in a deal for Betts it would be in to what and how many prospects would be going from San Diego to Boston.
San Diego has multiple prospects that could be involved in a trade for Betts, but how many would the Padres be willing to give up for a player they might only have for one season.
Would the Red Sox insist on a top pitching prospect like Mackenzie Gore, Luis Patino, Michel Baez or Adrian Morejon being included in a deal for Betts along with maybe another lower tier prospect or two.
It does look like these are two teams that would match up in a deal like this, but will they be able to work out the particulars of this deal. If they do manage to work out this deal how would it affect both of these teams.
Would either team be a contender next season if this deal was made. Even with the addition of Betts I doubt it would put them o the same level as the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it could possibly make them a contender for a wild card spot.
The Red Sox where just 3 games over .500 last season and losing their best offensive players probably isn’t going to help them compete with the New York Yankees or Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. Then there’s the question on how they’d actually replace Betts at the top of the order.
The Red Sox did acquire Marcus Wilson from the Arizona Diamondbacks last season, but he’s just 23 years old and hasn’t played above Double-A; so it doesn’t look like he’d be a candidate to replace Betts. I’m not sure how many people remember this, but the Red Sox still have Rusney Castillo under contract for on more season. He hasn’t played in the major leagues since 2016, but with one year left on $72.5 million dollar contact maybe the Red Sox could get something out of him in the final year of that deal. If the Red Sox don’t go with either of those choices they could always sign one of the remaining free agents to a deal to fill to role in the short term.
So what do you think. Do the Red Sox go into the season with Betts in their line up? Or is he playing for another team at the start of the 2020 season?
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