Los Angeles Dodgers can win Mookie Betts trade with one outcome

At this point, the Los Angeles Dodgers seemingly cannot win the Mookie Betts trade. But there is still one way to make the deal worthwhile.

The Los Angeles Dodgers decision to acquire Mookie Betts was geared towards one goal – winning the 2020 World Series. They had come up short in 2017 and 2018, failing to reach the Fall Classic last season. However, they were looking to end that championship drought, adding Betts and David Price in an effort to get over the hump.

But you know what they say about best laid plans. The Dodgers were in great shape for 2020, but now the season may never happen. Instead of landing one of the best players in the game, the trade could end up being Alex Verdugo and Jeter Downs for Price and his bloated contract.

Obviously, the trade could still work out if Major League Baseball figures out a way to play some version of the 2020 season. Even a truncated season would give hope that this trade will be fruitful, and the championship would return to Los Angeles. However, at this point, those hopes are still nothing more than a pipe dream.

Even if the season is canceled, there is still a way that the Dodgers can win the trade, short of Price suddenly returning to a Cy Young caliber pitcher. They need to keep Betts around on a long term contract, making him a key part of what they hope to be a championship core.

That will be easier said than done. While the Dodgers decision to place the Qualifying Offer on Betts will be made in less time than it takes to read this sentence, that will not be a drawback. With his lifetime .301/.374/.519 batting line, along with 139 homers and 126 steals, Betts would have plenty of suitors. Add in that he is just now entering his prime, and Betts could be looking at a record setting deal.

Those numbers may not be an obstacle for the Dodgers. They have been willing to shell out larger contracts under the current ownership, and their ability to take on Price speaks volumes. With Betts, however, that long term deal would mean something more – the ability to salvage a trade that would be a disaster if the season is canceled.

The Los Angeles Dodgers can still win the Mookie Betts trade. But it will involve opening up the checkbook.