Boston Red Sox hypothetical fire sale: Five potential trade ideas

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 30: Owner of the Boston Red Sox John Henry is presented with the trophy after the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 in Game Six of the 2013 World Series at Fenway Park on October 30, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 30: Owner of the Boston Red Sox John Henry is presented with the trophy after the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 in Game Six of the 2013 World Series at Fenway Park on October 30, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
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ST PETERSBURG, FL – MAY 22: Mookie Betts #50 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on May 22, 2018 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Mookie Betts to Dodgers

Do you trade the face of the franchise? What can you get for value? Betts may be unsignable and may just be waiting for his eventual truckload of money.  Bryce Harper was discussed as a $400 MM player – Mookie is better. Mookie may be unsignable and with this scenario, the Red Sox are looking to go under $100 MM payroll.

Just who could afford Betts?  There are teams with prospects to offer, but payroll limitations exclude them.  Somehow I do not picture Betts in right field at Tropicana Field or with the Royals at Kauffman Field.

The Dodgers have one player who could give the Red Sox an additional three-year window on free agency – Cody Bellinger.  The left-hand power hitter is suffering from a “sophomore slump” that sometimes turns into a career signal for major disappointment. Bellinger is no five-tool player such as Betts but is a nice piece to start with.

The Dodgers have a rich farm system ranked as one of the best on MLB Pipeline.  Looking over their system is a variety of options and I would expect no less than their number one prospect – Alex Verdugo a left-hand hitting outfielder.

"One of the best pure hitting prospects in baseball, Verdugo recognizes pitches and controls the strike zone better than most players his age. He uses the whole field, repeatedly barreling balls with a quick left-handed stroke geared for line drives. – MLB Prospect Watch"

Verdugo does not have the power of Betts, but his hitting is easily in the top ten in the Pacific Coast League (AAA), That, however, is the PCL and hitting league it certainly is, but Verdugo has a swing that may be a Benintendi swing clone.

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