The Boston Red Sox are in a transition period as this season winds down and that may force their hand with soon to be free-agent superstar, Mookie Betts.
For all intents and purposes, the season is over for the Red Sox. They’ve begun shutting down players, giving others extra rest, and they even fired an executive! It’s pretty clear that Boston is heading towards a massive transition period and the future feels a bit uncertain. That uncertainty may lead to some big changes in the lineup ahead of next season.
The Sox have some big-name free agents this winter in Brock Holt, Mitch Moreland, and Rick Porcello. There’s also the chance that J.D. Martinez chooses to opt-out of his contract to test free agency. Even with those players hitting the market this winter, everyone’s attention is firmly planted towards 2021 and Mookie Betts.
The reigning American League MVP is set to become the next superstar free agent and he’s already made it clear he won’t be signing before then. Boston has made some efforts to lock down Mookie but he’s rebuffed all of their advances. His time in Boston has been nothing short of fantastic and he can be the heart and soul of the team on a nightly basis. But the sand is falling through the hourglass and his time at Fenway Park is nearing an end.
"“That was a really emotional time because I was like, ‘Mom, we’ve never seen this amount of money.’ She was like, ‘OK, cool. It’s a lot of money. I think we know it’s a lot of money. So let’s focus on the facts. Let’s focus on what is real and we took the emotions out of it.’ The first one was definitely the hardest (not to accept).”"
As we enter this new chapter in the story of the Red Sox one thing seems clear and that’s the desire to trim fat from the budget. Boston’s ownership group sent major mixed signals this season as they at times seemed ok with spending until the dollars didn’t deliver wins, then it became an issue. Queue Dave Dombrowski’s removal from office. That mindset brings me back to Betts and what his future holds.
He’s on the books for another year with the Red Sox and will be looking to have a mega-year to boost his value on the market. It’s not out of the realm of possibility to think Mookie can command a wage similar to those of Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. With his age and abilities, I think it’s safe to say Betts will see offers in the 10-year/$350-400M range. Sadly, that feels like it’s well out of the range that the Red Sox may be willing to go.
So what does Boston do with the reigning MVP? I’ve always been of the thought process that it’s better to get something in return for a player than lose them for free. I’m operating as if Mookie is long gone, which may be a bit hasty on my behalf but it sure feels that way.
He hasn’t wasted a single opportunity to remind everyone that baseball is just like any other business and you have to remove emotion from the equation. Mookie recently spoke with Rob Bradford of WEEI and he reiterated how he’s going about his career and his impending free agency.
"“As a whole, when it comes to business in general, whether it’s buying a building or contract negotiations or whatever it is, you have to take emotions out of it,” Betts told Bradford."
I don’t blame Mookie for going about things the way he is, he’s in the absolute right for having the business-first mentality. We’ve seen it countless times throughout the history of the game where a player pledges his loyalty just for the team to send them packing when the situation changes. Betts has to look out for himself and his family first and foremost. Do the Red Sox have a chance to re-sign him once he’s a free-agent? Of course, but so does every other team in the league.
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As Boston enters this offseason they need to make some changes as they can’t go another season without addressing both the starting rotation and bullpen. Each had their moments of brilliance as well as frustration this season. If the Sox want to be contenders in 2020 each area of the pitching staff needs to get some love this winter. So how do they do that without breaking the bank?
That’s where Mookie comes back into play. I’ve heard numerous times this season that Boston should trade Betts for prospects. And I agree that the farm system needs some serious help, but sending away an MVP for players that may or may not work out is just dumb. If you’re going to trade away a player of Mookie’s caliber you need to get some battle-tested players that can help the team in the now as opposed to the future.
It wouldn’t hurt to get some prospects tossed in with the deal but the front office has to focus on getting the most bang for the Mookie Betts buck. They may run into the issue that he would be the definition of a hired gun for the 2020 season just to depart come December, but to some organizations, he could be worth the plunge.
I don’t know what the Red Sox are going to do with Mookie and honestly, I don’t think they do either. As of now, they don’t have a true GM in place to even begin making that decision. I don’t think we’ll see any action on the Betts front until Dombrowski’s successor to the throne is named. No matter what they decide though it feels like Mookie’s time at Fenway Park is running out.
Mookie Betts as been nothing short of phenomenal during his time with the Boston Red Sox. What he did at the plate and on the diamond, last year was nothing short of heroic. He’s more than earned his superstar payday as that’s exactly what he is. Whether or not he spends his career in Boston is yet to be seen, but I think Red Sox Nation needs to be prepared for like without Mookie just to be safe.