How the Mookie Betts Blockbuster Trade Impacts Dodgers, Red Sox World Series Odds

After a winter full of rumors, the Boston Red Sox have finally traded former MVP Mookie Betts. On Tuesday night, Boston agreed to send Betts and David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a three-team deal along with the Minnesota Twins.

Betts, who is set to be a free agent next winter, reportedly turned down a 10-year, $300 million contract extension with the Red Sox following the 2018 season. The $27 million he'll make this year is an arbitration record.

With a new contract between Betts and the Red Sox unlikely, Boston has opted to get some young assets back rather than go all out for a World Series in 2020.

This deal also rids Boston of David Price's contact, which still has three years and $96 million remaining. Boston is, however, sending money to the Dodgers as part of the deal.

With the Red Sox clearly in at least a partial rebuilding phase, their World Series odds have taken a substantial hit. Boston opened the offseason at +1200 at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, but had already fallen to +2500 prior to the deal. With Betts officially gone, the Red Sox are now down to +3000.

The Dodgers opened the offseason at +600, but had improved to +500 before the deal. The additions of Betts and Price now have them at +350 — tops in the National League and second in the MLB behind the Yankees (+300).

Betts adds an excellent right-handed bat to a left-handed heavy lineup in LA, which features reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger. A potential Dodgers lineup could look something like this (excluding Joc Pederson, who has also reportedly been traded on Tuesday to the Angels as part of a separate deal):

Stay tuned for more MLB news, futures picks and analysis as spring training approaches.