Mookie Betts traded to Dodgers: Cody Bellinger, J.D. Martinez, others react to Red Sox sending star west (2024)

FAQs

Who won the Verdugo trade? ›

The Red Sox got what they needed from their trade of Verdugo. Boston improved its outfield and set itself up for the future with new arms.

Cody Bellinger signs 3-year $80-million deal with Cubs a year after Dodgers let him go. Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger gestures to the Dodger Stadium crowd after being acknowledged by his former team prior to an April 14 game.

Once a budding superstar with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bellinger was released after the 2022 season, a decision driven by a series of injuries, a drastic drop in performance and his projected salary.

Markus Lynn "Mookie" Betts (born October 7, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder, shortstop, and second baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox.

He was projected to make $9.2 million in his final year of arbitration, and the combination of money, the minimal remaining control, and underwhelming offensive production limited his trade value. And still the Red Sox felt they were better off trading him. That's what it had come to.

The Yankees dealt three players — Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice — to acquire Verdugo on Dec. 5.

A different body required a new swing. The Dodgers spent the next two seasons trying to create that swing. Bellinger spent the next two seasons unable to fully process and execute their changes. In the end, the Dodgers didn't teach well enough and Bellinger didn't listen well enough and the breakup became inevitable.

Bellinger back to Cubs

Cody Bellinger has officially returned to the Cubs on a three-year, $80 million deal, with opt-outs after the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

Cody Bellinger exits due to an injury.

Top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong was called up to replace Bellinger on the 26-man roster.

Why is Cody Bellinger not hitting? ›

Bellinger, 28, had been out with a rib injury since running into the wall at Wrigley Field on April 23. He served as the designated hitter Tuesday and will do so again Wednesday against the Padres before the Cubs decide if he is ready to play the outfield again. Bellinger said he is not 100% healed yet.

The Boston Red Sox set up Chaim Bloom to fail. His end occurred soon after his beginning. One hundred and eight days after the Fenway Sports Group hired Bloom as its chief baseball officer, John Henry's ownership group authorized a trade of Mookie Betts to the Dodgers.

Houston Astros (2022)

On August 1, 2022, the Red Sox traded Vázquez to the Houston Astros for Wilyer Abreu and Enmanuel Valdez.

Mookie Betts, left, has started 55 games at shortstop this season for the Dodgers after getting shifted from second base late in spring training.

The New York Yankees acquired outfielder Alex Verdugo from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for pitching prospects Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice, the teams announced Tuesday.

The Atlanta Braves have acquired storied left-handed starter Chris Sale and $17 million in cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for young infielder Vaughn Grissom. The teams announced the trade on Saturday afternoon.

The 25-year-old Soto comes to New York with outfielder Trent Grisham in exchange for five players: right-handers Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez, plus catcher Kyle Higashioka.

Conigliaro's eyesight began to deteriorate, and the Sox traded him to California in October of that year. He hit . 222 for the Angels in 1971 before calling it quits. A brief comeback with the Red Sox in 1975 ended after 21 games in which he mustered a .