Boston Red Sox: How David Price is the key to Mookie Betts

Entering this offseason, the Boston Red Sox will have some really tough decisions to make. Could trading David Price alleviate some of the pressure?

Just one year after the Boston Red Sox secured their fourth World Series title of the 21st century, the team failed to make the postseason. Now, with the team’s payroll out of control, they face having to trade their best player in Mookie Betts in order to secure a better future for the franchise.

In reviewing the team’s roster, however, there is a way the Red Sox could keep Betts. It involves trading away one big reason the team won it all in 2018: southpaw David Price.

Entering the 2016 MLB season, the Red Sox sought to boost their rotation by adding a veteran starter. In doing so, they signed free-agent pitcher Price for $217M over 7-years ($31M AAV), the fifth-largest contract based on AAV in MLB.

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In his four seasons in Boston, Price has been fairly consistent, pitching to a .657 W-L% and a 3.84 ERA. In two World Series starts, Price is 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA.

He’s no Mookie Betts, though, who some consider Mike Trout adjacent.

Betts is entering his final year of arbitration eligibility and is set to exceed the $20M he made during the 2019 MLB season. What’s more, as he approaches free agency, the phenom is looking to get Trout money ($35.5M AVV).

With the Red Sox already exceeding the luxury tax threshold, they’ll need to get creative with what they already have. In finding a potential suitor for Price, they’d be offsetting the potential price for Betts.

Regardless of what happens, the Boston Red Sox are looking at a tough road to below the luxury tax. Finding a way to keep Betts could potentially keep the team competitive in an increasingly tough AL East while undergoing a rebuild of sorts.

The question now is: which teams would be willing to eat the remaining $96M of David Price’s deal?