What the Red Sox are reportedly looking for in a Mookie Betts trade

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The Boston Red Sox are entering an offseason of uncertainty. After the team won the World Series in 2018, they flopped in 2019 and were unable to make the postseason. They finished third in the AL East with a record of 84-78.

In the wake of their disappointing season, there may be some changes coming to Boston. The team has a goal to get under the $208 million mark with their payroll in order to avoid paying the luxury tax once again, and that could cause them to shed salary at some point.

One player who could be moved is Mookie Betts. The reigning AL MVP is set to be a free agent following the 2020 campaign so if the Red Sox can't afford to pay him long-term, they could opt to move him. But it is going to cost any potential suitor quite a lot to get him.

SNY's Matthew Cerrone recently spoke to a source that outlined what type of package it would take to land Betts.

To get Betts for just one season, I'm told Boston will need to replace him in the lineup, add an affordable, team-controlled, mid-rotation starter and bring in at least two top-100 prospects.

Cerrone would also say that teams like the Padres, Braves, Cardinals, Astros, Mets, Reds, and Brewers could target Betts. The Dodgers, and a package headlined by Joc Pederson and Kenta Maeda, were also mentioned.

It makes sense that Red Sox would command a big haul in return for Betts. After all, he's a 26-year-old slugger and an elite defender who can play anywhere in the outfield. Sure, he'll need to be paid a lot, but he's a legitimate year-in, year-out MVP-caliber player who could transform any lineup he is moved to.

While the Red Sox haven't committed to Betts, team president and CEO Sam Kennedy recently said "there is a way" the team could keep Betts and fellow slugger, J.D. Martinez.

That said, it's still looking more likely that Betts will depart the team at some point in the future. Even his teammates don't believe he'll be back, so Red Sox fans may want to start reading up on the best MLB prospects so they can familiarize themselves with the players they may get in any potential Betts trade.

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