Dodgers acquire Mookie Betts and David Price from Red Sox

Mookie Betts (Google Images)

On the same day that there was a four-team NBA trade, there was a three-team Major League Baseball deal with some huge names involved according to CBS Sports. The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired starting pitcher David Price and outfielder Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox.  The Red Sox receive outfielder Alex Verdugo from the Dodgers and relief pitcher Brusdar Graterol from the Minnesota Twins.The Dodgers also traded starting pitcher Kenta Maeda to the Twins.

The Dodgers were not done with that blockbuster. They have also traded outfielder Joc Perderson and pitcher Ross Stripling to the Los Angeles Angels for shortstop Luis Rengifo according to TSN.

Price is a five-time all-star (four times with the Tampa Bay Rays and once with the Detroit Tigers). He won the Cy Young Award with the Rays in 2012 when he had a career high 20 wins. In 2014 while with the Rays and Tigers, he led the American League with 271 strikeouts. Last season in Boston, he had a record of seven wins, five losses, 128 strikeouts and an earned run average of 4.28 in 107 1/3 innings pitched.

Betts has spent his entire career with the Red Sox and has been an all-star the last four seasons. In 2019, he led Major League Baseball with 135 runs scored. Betts batted .295 with 29 home runs and 80 runs batted in.

Verdugo batted .294 with 12 home runs and 44 runs batted in during 343 at bats. Graterol pitched 10 games and had a record of one win and one loss with an earned run average of 4.66. Maeda had a record of 10 wins and eight losses with an earned run average of 4.04 and 169 strikeouts in 153 2/3 innings pitched.

Pederson batted .249 with 36 home runs and 74 runs batted in, and Stripling had a record of four wins and four losses with 93 strikeouts in 90 2/3 innings pitched, and an earned run average of 3.47. Rengifo batted .238 with seven home runs and 33 runs batted in. Clearly, Pederson and Stripling were traded by the Dodgers to make room for Price and Betts.