On February 10, 2020, the Dodgers & Red Sox completed what would become one of the most consequential trades of the decade. The Red Sox, looking to trim salary and wary of an extension for Mookie Betts, traded the former AL MVP to the Dodgers, along with David Price, for three players. Now that five years have past, it’s very clear one side came out on top.

The Dodgers’ Return

• INF/OF Mookie Betts (.902 OPS, 132 HR, 287 XBH, 27.4 bWAR from 2020-24)
• SP/RP David Price (3.47 ERA, 95 K over 114 IP, 1.4 bWAR from 2021-22)

Months after the Dodgers came up short in October 2019, Los Angeles wanted to go big to solidify their roster heading into 2020. Remember, the Dodgers failed to win it all in the 2017 & 2018 World Series, then were bounced in the NLDS by eventual champion Washington in 2019.

The Dodgers had a stout roster, headlined by 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger and a rotation led by Clayton Kershaw & Walker Buehler. Los Angeles had a deep farm system to work with and the willingness to pay Betts long-term, making the Dodgers an ideal fit.

Los Angeles, after weeks of rumors, got the deal done on February 10, getting Betts and David Price. Price himself had a hefty contract. The former Cy Young winner had three years left on a seven-year, $217MM deal.

The deal, in its inital state, had a lot of moving parts. At one point, the Angels and Dodgers were reportedly working on a trade that would have seen Joc Pederson, Ross Stripling, and Andy Pages go to Anaheim in a salary dump move, with the Dodgers getting Luis Rengifo.

And days later after the Betts trade got over the finish line, the Dodgers moved off Kenta Maeda‘s contract to the Twins, a deal that netted Los Angeles (NL) reliever Brusdar Graterol.

Five months after the trade, the Dodgers inked Betts to a 12-year extension worth $365MM, assuring he would stay in Los Angeles long-term.

Betts yielded immediate returns for the Dodgers. The 2018 AL MVP cracked 16 home runs for the Dodgers in the shortened 2020 campaign. Then, he hit .296/.378/.493 (.871 OPS) in the playoffs. Betts hit two home runs in the 2020 World Series — won by Los Angeles — against Tampa.

Eight months in, one could argue the Dodgers were already the winners of the trade. Betts delivered immediate results and helped the Dodgers win their first title in 32 years. The trade had already accomplished the desired goal. However, Betts had more to do.

The Dodgers star hit 35 home runs for Los Angeles in 2022. A year later, Betts posted a career-best 39 homers, along with 80 extra-base hits. He finished runner-up to Ronald Acuna Jr. in the NL MVP race.

From 2023-24, Betts demonstrated even more value, playing at second and short for a Dodgers team that needed help in said positions. And in the 2024 MLB Postseason, Betts drove in 16 to help the Dodgers win their second title in five seasons.

From 2020-24, Betts tied for 14th in total home runs (132) and 15th in total bases (1,214).

The other piece in this deal, David Price, wasn’t as prolific. Price opted not to play in the shortened 2020 campaign. By 2022, Price was a full-time reliever, pitching well out of the pen. In his final career season, the left-hander posted a 2.45 ERA for the Dodgers over 40.1 IP.

The Red Sox’s Return

• SS Jeter Downs (.533 OPS, one HR, eight R, -0.6 bWAR from 2022-23)
• OF Alex Verdugo (.735 OPS, 56 HR, 217 XBH, 9.0 bWAR from 2020-24)
• C Connor Wong (.715 OPS, 23 HR, 120 R, 4.0 bWAR from 2021-24)

Between Betts’ $27MMM salary for 2020 and Price’s contact, the Dodgers took on a lot of money. Which, took away from the return for a generational talent. While the Red Sox got two regulars from the trade, it certainly didn’t come close to what Betts accomplished thus far with the Dodgers.

The big piece in the deal was Alex Verdugo, a former second-round pick. As we noted in 2020 before the trade went down, it made sense for Verdugo to be involved. The then-23-year-old was controllable, could slot in as a replacement for Betts, and performed well in 2019. Verdugo hit 12 home runs and a .817 OPS in his rookie campaign.

Verdugo got off to a great start in Boston. He hit .308 with 22 extra-base hits over 53 games in 2020, finishing 12th in the AL MVP race. A year later, the outfielder slashed .289/.351/.426 (.777 OPS), then notched 13 hits in the 2021 MLB Playoffs with Boston.

Those were Verdugo’s two best seasons in Boston. The now-28-year-old never hit more than 13 home runs in a single season but proved to be a valuable contact hitter.

However, his 2024 campaign, spent with the Yankees, was the worst of his eight-year career. Verdugo hit .233/.291/.356 (.647 OPS) with 13 home runs in New York.

Boston also received catcher Connor Wong, a good defensive catcher with pop who was drafted in the third round back in 2017. Wong didn’t receive regular time in the Majors until 2023 but last season, became a key piece for the Sox. The 28-year-old hit .280/.333/.425 (.758 OPS) with 13 home runs in 2024.

The last piece of the deal was Jeter Downs, a first-round pick by the Reds in 2017. Los Angeles acquired Downs a year later in a salary dump that saw Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig go to Cincinnati.

Downs, who had arguably the highest upside of anyone in thid deal, quickly developed into one of the top prospects in baseball. In 2019, Downs hit 24 home runs and stole 24 bases in the Dodgers system, reaching Double-A. The infielder flashed everyday tools, thanks to good pop and impressive speed. However, Downs hit trouble in the upper Minors.

Downs struck out 131 times over 99 contests in 2021, with Worcester (AAA). He only hit .191/.272/.333 (.606 OPS), in a year that saw his stock drop considerably. Downs made it to the Majors a year later despite only hitting .197 with the WooSox, logging 13 games in Boston. Those were the only games he played with the Sox.

Downs, now in the NPB, hit .182/.260/.273 (.533 OPS) across 20 Major League contests.

Analysis

It hard to give the Dodgers anything but a A+ on the trade.

The acquisition of Betts was, in a sense, a taste of things to come for the Dodgers. Los Angeles has been willing to go well above and beyond to fortify their roster, spending more money than any other team in the game over the last five seasons.

Betts proved to be exactly what the Dodgers needed; a game-changing talent with plus power and a penchant for filling whatever hole the team needs. It’s hard to find a talent like Betts.

As for the Red Sox, it’s a move that’s still a sore spot five years later. Not only did the Dodgers part with a former MVP but one who was a homegrown talent — drafted & developed by Boston — and highly popular with the fanbase. And, was arguably the best player on the team.

Yes, Boston got MLB talent in the trade, in two players who turned into regulars. However, none of the three have come close to replicating Betts’ value. Even at the time of the trade, that was going to be a high ask.

The Red Sox, clearly, failed on that move.