On Monday morning, we were all told by Ken Rosenthal that a Mookie Betts trade was ‘inevitable’. In fact, it was just a matter of when and where; the MLB Insider said.
However as we all know these things are fluid and ever-changing. The news early Tuesday is in a little different tone, and comes from a different source of news. Both WBZ Boston Sports and a Boston Glove writer report that Boston is in no hurry to move the superstar outfielder.
Report: #RedSox In No Rush To Complete Mookie Betts Tradehttps://t.co/CQXlX7Wq1m
— WBZ Boston Sports (@wbzsports) February 4, 2020
Here’s the latest skinny from Alex Speier of the Boston Globe on Monday night:
“First, the Red Sox don’t feel a particular rush to deal the ultra-talented Betts. While there’s a strong expectation that he will be traded before the start of spring training, the Sox don’t want to push to conclude a deal based on a timetable rather than its substance.
Moreover, the team doesn’t feel as if it’s facing a hard-and-fast deadline. There’s not an equivalent alternative to whom the Padres or Dodgers can pivot if their goal is to acquire one of the preeminent difference-makers in the game, at a time when the free-agent market has been thoroughly scoured.”
Basically, Boston knows they are holding the best cards and are sitting in the catbird spot in this particular situation. Therefore – if the Dodgers or Padres aren’t willing to give them exactly what they want – they don’t feel compelled to settle.
Make no mistake about it, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the advantage over a number of other teams in that they’re openly negotiating with Mookie Betts. For instance, many large market teams do not make sense as a landing spot for the player based on a multitude of different factors.
Still, the Dodgers will need to get creative to pull this off; because whatever they’re comfortable with giving up at the current time has Boston in no hurry to do the deal. That is, if you believe these reports are accurate.