There's no way to argue around the fact that the Mookie Betts trade was one of the worst deals in recent MLB history. Is it on par with the trade that started the Curse of the Bambino? No, but it was, effectively, the end of the four-championships-in-15-years standard that the Boston Red Sox had created, in favor of a more sensible (i.e., cheaper) approach to team building.
What Betts has gone on to do since — win three championships, make four All-Star teams, and achieve two top-two finishes in MVP voting — has only secured his rich legacy. He's a future Hall of Famer through and through, and it's become apparent that the cap he'll wear on his Cooperstown plaque is that of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
All that being said, Bettsw isn't living up to his usual standard here in 2026. In fact, he's been outright terrible.
Dave Roberts says he sees mechanical and confidence issues with Mookie Betts at the plate since returning from the IL.
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) May 26, 2026
Betts is in a brutal slump, hitting .157 (8-for-54) with a .200 OBP, .294 SLG and .494 OPS in May.
🎥: @SportsNetLA pic.twitter.com/8467xh4P4x
Does this recent stretch of bad play eliminate the years of regret the Red Sox have harbored since executing that original trade? No, but it is a reminder that paying players, even no-doubt-about-it superstars like Betts, a historic amount of money into their thirties isn't always the best business.
Red Sox are receiving the slightest modicum of validation from Mookie Betts' struggles
There's no two ways about it: The Betts trade was about money. John Henry wasn't willing to fork over a record contract for his young superstar, so he commanded Chaim Bloom to ship the outfielder elsewhere ahead of his contract year.
The Dodgers, like any well-run big-market team would have, jumped at the opportunity to acquire one of the five best players in the game, surrendering a package of prospects and $365 million over 12 years in order to bring Betts into the fold. They've obviously been rewarded handsomely for it, winning three rings in six years since the trade. The Red Sox, meanwhile, have only made the playoffs twice in that same timeframe.
A lot of that failure stems from the package Bloom received; Alex Verdugo never lived up to the hype, Connor Wong is still toiling away as a backup catcher, and Jeter Downs appeared in 20 total MLB games (14 with the Red Sox) before falling out of favor in the league. They obviously would have been better with Betts.
He's now the Dodgers' problem, and "problem" is the apt word to describe it. Betts has been worth negative WAR this season, slashing .182/.240/.409 (79 wRC+) (as of May 29) while struggling to keep up with the demands of being a middle-of-the-lineup star. This is a continuation of the decline he experienced last year, when he posted a then-career-low 104 wRC+.
Including 2026, Betts still has seven years and more than $230 million remaining on his contract. Coming up on his 34th birthday, we may be entering "onerous" territory when describing his deal. The Red Sox, now trying (and failing) to build around a new young core, would be in bad shape if they had to deal with that kind of salary on their books.
Again, this doesn't excuse any part of the process that led to that all-time fumble. It's just a silver lining for one of the worst mistakes in franchise history.
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