The Boston Red Sox thought they were pulling off “addition by subtraction” when they traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants this season—a move that surprisingly boosted their standings. But the gamble has reopened old wounds, drawing uncomfortable parallels to the 2020 Mookie Betts blockbuster that sent the superstar to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Six years later, the Betts trade still stings. Since joining L.A., he’s racked up four All-Star selections, two Gold Gloves, four Silver Sluggers, and two World Series rings. On Monday, hours before another Fall Classic game, MLB honored him with the Roberto Clemente Award for his off-field impact.
“Betts and his wife, Brianna, founded the 5050 Foundation in 2021,” The Boston Globe‘s Peter Abraham reported. “They work helping children with emotional and physical issues. They’ve also continued to support the homeless, and most recently victims of the fires in Los Angeles earlier this year.”
The timing couldn’t have been worse for Boston. As Betts accepted baseball’s highest humanitarian honor, Red Sox manager Alex Cora—whose father idolized Clemente—sent a congratulatory text. Betts laughed about the exchange: “He told me I’m a ’Rican now.”
That four-word message, meant as playful banter between old friends, landed like a gut punch for Red Sox Nation. Abraham didn’t mince words: “It’s a painful reminder to Red Sox fans of the foolish trade that sent their guy to Los Angeles. Even six years later, it’s hard to understand the Sox didn’t realize they were making a franchise-altering mistake.”
While Betts chases a second straight championship with the Dodgers, Boston heads into another winter of rebuilding—still searching for the next transcendent talent they let walk out the door rather than pay.