Despite what people think, Mookie Betts wanted to stay with the Red Sox.
Betts was traded from Boston to the Dodgers in 2020 after six years with the Sox. He signed a 12-year extension to remain in Los Angeles that summer.
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A storyline that surrounded Betts was that he didn’t want to remain with the Red Sox once his contract expired due to his noncommittal comments on extension talks with Boston and wanting to test free agency.
The two-time World Series champion joined his former Red Sox teammate Brock Holt on “Foul Territory” and reiterated that he wanted stay in Boston for the entirety of his career.
“Even though I wasn’t really ready for (the trade to the Dodgers) — I know people don’t believe me but I wanted to stay in Boston my whole career,” Betts told Holt. “That was my life. I knew everybody there. it was a short flight to Nashville. It was perfect.”
Holt then asked Betts if the Red Sox had offered him a 10-year, $365 million contract, he “100%” would have taken it.
“But that didn’t happen,” Betts told Holt.
Betts enjoyed a lot of success while in Boston. The outfielder won four Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, the 2018 MVP and helped the Red Sox to a World Series in 2018.
At the end of the day, Betts treated this like a business. At first, he was “sad” about the trade and hesitant to move out west. But it’s been a “blessing in disguise” for Betts and his family.
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“It is what it is. But when that move happened I was sad,” Betts said. “I was like, ‘Man I don’t wanna go out West.’ … It was kind of actually a blessing in disguise. My family loves it. It’s a different way of life. The weather is beautiful. You never have to worry about the hot sticky stuff or the freezing cold and everything up in Boston. Being in LA has been awesome. I’m really happy.”
Betts is in the midst of his fourth season with the Dodgers. He has 27 home runs with 67 RBI in 95 games. LA sits atop the National League East with a 57-41 record and a four-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
