It seems Mookie Betts was destined to get traded to California, but the Los Angeles Dodgers weren't the only team vying to acquire the All-Star outfielder from the Boston Red Sox in February.
"It went down to (the San Diego Padres) and here," Betts told CC Sabathia on the "R2C2" podcast. "The only thing that really sucks is taxes."
Were there any other teams involved in trading for @mookiebetts or was it just the Dodgers?
— The Ringer (@ringer) September 24, 2020
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Betts said that being dealt from the team that drafted him wasn't as painful as he expected.
"It seemed like everybody was on the same page," he said. "The Red Sox front office did a great job in like, talking through everything. It wasn't just like, 'Boom, trade' on Twitter. They talked and said, 'Hey, you know, if something makes sense, then we're gonna pull the trigger.'"
Betts was set to hit free agency after the season, but the Dodgers ensured that day wouldn't come by inking him to a 12-year, $365-million contract extension this summer.
The 27-year-old has adjusted well to his new home. In 52 games, he's hitting .295/.366/.576 with 16 home runs, 39 RBIs, and nine stolen bases.
Had he gone to the Padres instead, that offense could have included three MVP candidates in Betts, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr.
