The Boston Red Sox are in a transitory phase this winter. New general manager Chaim Bloom inherits a team that blew past the luxury tax threshold this season, underperformed throughout the 2019 campaign en route to missing the playoffs, and now threatens to trade 2018 American League MVP Mookie Betts.
However, in a survey conducted by ESPN, insiders tabbed both Francisco Lindor and Kris Bryant as likelier trade candidates than Betts despite the fact that each of those players has an extra year of control. In fact, Betts did not receive a single vote out of the three superstars:
Most interesting is that Betts didn't receive even a single vote despite being the closest to free agency among the three. He can walk after next year. New Red Sox GM Chaim Bloom is facing a dilemma: Keep Betts, hoping to sign him to a long-term deal after next season, or trade him as the executive's first big move in his new job.
Boston's front office said at the start of the offseason that they would reach out to Betts' camp to initiate extension talks, though there is no indication that the two sides have begun discussions.
Similarly, Betts has been mum about wanting to remain with the Red Sox. Rather, he has been persistent in stating that baseball is a “business” and that he understands his own value.
Yet it is those same characteristics that could make Betts an unlikely trade candidate. Not many teams are going to sacrifice multiple top prospects for a one-year rental. There is a real chance that Betts will simply play out the final year of control in Boston.
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