The Los Angeles Dodgers will begin a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday. Although it's always intriguing when these two big market ball clubs square off, Mookie Betts will receive all of the attention on Friday as he makes his return to Boston. The former Red Sox star was traded to the Dodgers prior to the 2020 season after a contract extension failed to come to fruition. Betts is still opting to remain silent on the failed contract discussions, per Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald.

“Mookie Betts declines to elaborate on the nature of his contract negotiations and exactly how things went down. Says he’ll leave it up to Chaim Bloom and John Henry to speak if they ever choose to,” Cerullo shared.

Dodgers-Red Sox Mookie Betts trade

The Red Sox-Dodgers trade has paid major dividends for Los Angeles. The Dodgers immediately signed Betts to a long-term extension and proceeded to win the 2020 World Series. Although they haven't won a championship since, the Dodgers have been a consistent playoff contender. Betts is also currently in the midst of an MVP-caliber season.

The Red Sox received a decent return for Betts. Alex Verdugo headlined Boston's return and he's become a reliable outfielder. Still, the Dodgers won the trade without question.

Boston hasn't displayed much of a willingness to pay their superstars in recent years. Rafael Devers is an exception, as Boston gave him a long-term deal. However, they traded Betts instead of agreeing to a long-term contract with him. Additionally, the Red Sox watched Xander Bogaerts leave in free agency this past offseason.

It will be interesting to see if further details on the Mookie Betts-Red Sox contract talks are ever revealed. One has to imagine the two sides were far apart since Boston traded one of the best players in all of baseball. The deal still haunts Red Sox fans, while Betts has become a fan-favorite in LA.

Still, he should receive a warm-welcome on Friday night at Fenway Park.