Mookie Betts Reportedly At Center Of Red Sox, Padres Trade Talks
BOSTON (CBS) – Mookie Betts is reportedly at the center of trade talks between the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres.
According to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, Padres outfielder Wil Myers and a "significant amount of prospect talent" would be sent to the Red Sox for Betts, who will be a free agent after the season and has rejected Boston's offers for a long-term deal.
Betts and the Red Sox avoided arbitration two weeks ago and agreed to a one-year, $27 million deal for the 2020 season.
According to R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports, Myers "will make $22.5 million in each of the next three seasons, but his contract (six years, $83 million) carries an average annual value of $13.83 million."
After the Futures Game last July, Pedro Martinez said he thought Luis Patino was the best young pitcher in the game, and knew Patino as a teenager. To get Mookie Betts and lose Wil Myers' money, it's hard to imagine a deal w/out Patino. Hard to imagine a deal, period.
— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) January 24, 2020
If they were to make a deal, Anderson reports the Red Sox would save $4.5 million on their actual payroll, but their luxury-tax number would drop by more than $13 million. The Red Sox are looking to trim salary this winter to avoid a gigantic luxury tax fee.