Report: Mookie Betts, David Price Trade in Jeopardy as Twins Weigh Options

The Red Sox' proposed trade to send Mookie Betts to the Dodgers could be in jeopardy if the Twins pull out of the three-team deal.

The three-team megadeal involving Red Sox rightfielder Mookie Betts and pitcher David Price might be in jeopardy.

According to La Velle E. Neal of the Star Tribune, the Twins are "very pessimistic about their end of a proposed three-way deal involving the Red Sox and Dodgers" and could potentially exit the deal.

MLB Network's Jon Heyman reports the Twins have set a deadline of Saturday to resolve their part of the deal with Boston.

As part of the proposed deal, the Dodgers would receive Betts and Price from the Red Sox and send pitcher Kenta Maeda to the Twins. In exchange, the Red Sox would get Twins pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol and Dodgers outfielder Alex Verdugo.

After news of the trade broke on Tuesday, it was reported that the deal hit a snag after the Red Sox raised medical concerns about Graterol. Boston was worried that Graterol, who underwent Tommy John surgery and missed time in 2019 because of a shoulder injury, would be a reliever instead of a starter. 

Per Neal, the Red Sox asked the Twins to a second top-10 prospect to the deal. Minnesota was against giving up another player in exchange for Maeda.

If the Twins pull out of the deal, it could torpedo the trade. Betts is set to make $27 million this season before hitting free agency, and Price is owed $96 million over the next three years. In anticipation of the payroll additions, the Dodgers also arranged a deal to send outfielder Joc Pederson and reliever Ross Stripling to the crosstown Angels for infielder Luis Rengifo.

After the deal failed to be finalized by Friday, MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark issued a strong statement on the holdup.

"The proposed trades between the Dodgers, Red Sox, Twins and Angels need to be resolved without further delay," Clark said in a statement. "The events of this last week have unfairly put several Players' lives in a state of limbo. The unethical leaking of medical information as well as the perversion of the salary arbitration process serve as continued reminders that too often Players are treated as commodities by those running the game." 

The deal for Betts represented the biggest trade of the offseason, as the 2018 American League MVP was a constant topic of rumors. Betts has led the AL in runs in each of the last two seasons, and he posted a league-high .640 slugging in 2018.