The Mookie Betts commerce was controversial from the second the deal was struck, and 4 years later the switch stays a sore subject amongst Crimson Sox followers writ large.
Already a league MVP and a World Sequence champion on the time of the deal, Betts could have become the face of the franchise and accomplished what’s going to doable wind up being a Corridor of Fame career in Boston. Crimson Sox followers had been left questioning what could have been as Betts thrived in Los Angeles, and the actual fact the membership went on to finish remaining in two out of three years solely added insult to hurt.
The Crimson Sox had been in no way going to get comparable price once more inside the short-term, nonetheless one of the simplest ways points are trending there’s a chance the commerce could in the end be thought of as worthwhile.
Alex Verdugo, the primary return inside the Betts deal, has been an on a regular basis starter for the Crimson Sox ever since his arrival in 2020. His first three seasons in Boston might probably be biggest summed up as “good, not nice,” nonetheless now he appears to have made the leap and is making a robust case for his first All-Star nod.
Verdugo entered the weekend batting .315 with 5 residence runs, 18 RBI, a league-leading 26 runs scored and an .897 OPS. His 1.3 wins above different ranked third amongst American League outfielders and he’s emerged as Boston’s most reliable clutch hitter since David Ortiz, delivering three walk-off hits by the season’s first month alone.
He’s moreover nonetheless solely 26, only some months older than Jarren Duran, and is presumably solely now entering into his prime.
Verdugo’s future appears to be shiny, nonetheless he nonetheless isn’t Mookie Betts. For the Crimson Sox to realistically come out ahead they’d need one in every of many various prospects they acquired to develop into an precise contributor too.
Infielder Jeter Downs didn’t work out, but it surely absolutely appears to be identical to the Crimson Sox may need one factor in catcher Connor Wong.
Although Wong most certainly obtained’t on a regular basis hit one of the simplest ways he has this earlier week, he’s become so good defensively that he obtained’t must with a goal to solidify himself as a rock-solid enormous league catcher. He’s drawn rave evaluations from the pitching staff for his work behind the plate and has confirmed off a cannon of an arm, so far throwing out 6 of 14 (43%) baserunners who’ve tried to steal in opposition to him, among the many finest prices in baseball.
Wong moreover boasts distinctive athleticism for a catcher, allowing him to thrive no matter not primarily wanting the half as a relatively undersized man for the place.
“His athleticism makes up for the scale issue,” acknowledged right-hander Kutter Crawford, who has carried out with Wong since that they had been every in Single-A. “He’s acquired nice fingers, he can transfer properly behind the plate to get his physique in entrance of balls, and in addition his IQ, eager to be taught the sport, eager to be taught extra concerning the recreation. … I believe between his athleticism and his IQ he’s going to be an excellent catcher.”
It doesn’t matter what happens from proper right here the Dodgers obtained exactly what they wanted out of the deal and obtained’t have any regrets. Since arriving in Los Angeles Betts has been a perennial MVP candidate, one of many important productive all-around avid gamers in baseball and carried out a starring place in essential the Dodgers to the 2020 World Sequence championship, the group’s first in 32 years.
That being acknowledged, Betts is now 30, and whereas he’s nonetheless among the many finest avid gamers in baseball he does nonetheless have 9 years and roughly $290 million remaining on his contract. There’s a state of affairs the place 5 years from now Betts is in decline and a drag on the Dodgers’ payroll whereas Verdugo and Wong may every have become cornerstones of a contending Crimson Sox crew.
With the Crimson Sox exceeding expectations and Verdugo and Wong essential the crew in WAR with 1.3 each, you may make a case they already are.
Is that this 12 months’s AL East the perfect division ever?
The undeniable fact that the Crimson Sox are off to just about nearly as good a start as they’re is significantly excellent. Boston has not solely suffered some devastating accidents, nonetheless they’ve moreover carried out the hardest schedule in baseball by a comfy margin. Regardless of that they entered the weekend 20-14 whereas having obtained seven out of 10 sequence to open the season, with the three losses coming in opposition to golf tools with the first-, second- and fourth-best knowledge in MLB.
The road isn’t going to get any easier, significantly not with the division as loaded as any we’ve ever seen.
Getting into Saturday all 5 AL East teams had been above .500 and the division’s collective win share was .636. That’s on tempo to be the perfect collective win share for a division by a big margin.
Since MLB first adopted its current three-division format in 1994 there has solely ever been one occasion the place all 5 teams accomplished at or above .500. That was the 2005 NL East, which was obtained by the Atlanta Braves (90-72) with the Washington Nationals (81-81) taking remaining of their inaugural season.
However that division was moreover pretty mediocre complete and the group’s combined win share was solely .524. There have moreover been 12 events the place 4 out of 5 teams in a division have accomplished at or above .500, and out of that group a amount have posted larger collective win percentages.
You don’t must return far to hunt out the perfect one. Final 12 months’s AL East was arguably the strongest division of the modern interval with the 5 golf tools combining for a .540 win share. The Crimson Sox accomplished in remaining place no matter ending 78-84, which isn’t good nonetheless in most divisions is commonly not lower than enough to finish third or fourth.
I say “arguably” because of there could also be one completely different unorthodox contender. The 2002 AL West, which solely had 4 teams, had three golf tools finish with 90 or additional wins and posted a .566 win share complete.
That division famously featured the “Moneyball” Oakland Athletics, who obtained 103 video video games; the eventual World Sequence champion Anaheim Angels (99 wins); and the Seattle Mariners (93 wins), who had been a 12 months far from the very best widespread season in MLB historic previous. The Texas Rangers (72-90) moreover featured Alex Rodriguez on the highest of his powers.
For those who had been a fan of a type of teams once more inside the day you undoubtedly obtained your money’s worth, nonetheless in the case of every depth and complete top quality, this 12 months’s AL East has a chance to finish as the perfect ever.
Houston’s Garcia to endure Tommy John
The Houston Astros suffered an unlimited setback this week as data broke that right-hander Luis Garcia desires Tommy John surgical process and might miss the rest of the season.
Garcia left Monday’s sport in opposition to San Francisco after solely eight pitches on account of elbow ache and the membership’s worst fears had been confirmed inside the following days, with the announcement coming down on Friday evening time.
Dusty Baker, Houston’s supervisor, referred to as the loss “an incredible blow.”
The defending World Sequence champions’ starting rotation, as quickly as among the many many strongest in baseball, is now nearly unrecognizable. Future Corridor of Famer Justin Verlander signed with the New York Mets over the offseason and right-handers Jose Urquidy and Lance McCullers Jr. are every on the injured guidelines.
Houston does nonetheless have ace Framber Valdez and righty Cristian Javier, and rookie Hunter Brown has gotten off to a robust start, nonetheless even sooner than dropping Garcia the Astros had sputtered out of the gate and acquired right here into Saturday 17-15 and third inside the AL West.
Norwood’s Mellen shining in New Hampshire
Norwood’s Sean Mellen is once more in New England and off to a robust start in his first season with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Norwood Excessive and Northeastern College standout is in the meanwhile 1-1 with a 0.93 ERA by his first seven appearances with the Fisher Cats. Opposing batters are hitting .094 in opposition to him, and entering into the weekend the earlier Dodgers prospect was tied for the crew lead in appearances (7).
One other native, Methuen’s Jacob Wallace, will also be off to an excellent start collectively together with his new crew. The previous Crimson Sox prospect, who was traded to Kansas Metropolis for big league righty Wyatt Mills, is now with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and so far has an excellent 0.00 ERA by his first 11 appearances with the Royals’ Double-A affiliate. The ex-Methuen Excessive star has held opposing batters to a .114 widespread and struck out 12 over 10.1 innings.