Betts, Price eager to start new journey with Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts and David Price finally turned up in Dodgers jerseys on Wednesday, completing the journey from Boston to Los Angeles, where they’re expected to help end a World Series title drought dating to 1988.
Neither seemed fazed by the trade that dragged out for over a week before it was finalized.
Betts described the waiting game as “fun at times, kind of stressful at times.” Price said being moved from one storied franchise to another was “something special.”
“It wasn’t as easy for us,” joked Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations. “It was definitely a roller coaster.”
Betts, the 2018 AL MVP, joins current NL MVP Cody Bellinger in the Dodgers’ outfield. Price, the 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner, joins threetime NL Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw in the starting rotation.
“Definitely going to be pretty special,” Betts said. “He’s going to put on a show, and I’ll do my best to keep up with him.”
Betts was traded for the first time in his career. The 27-year-old right fielder was drafted by the Red Sox in 2011 and made his bigleague debut three years later.
“I have a lot of memories in Boston. The most fun is the World Series,” he said, alluding to the 2018 title won by the Red Sox at Dodger Stadium. “That was a great chapter in my life.”
A casualty of the deal that brought Betts and Price to the Dodgers was another one that would have sent outfielder Joc Pederson and righthander Ross Stripling to the rival Angels for infielder Luis Rengifo. It didn’t happen.
Betts can become a free agent after the season. He brushed off a question on whether he would discuss a contract extension during the season.
“We’re hoping that he falls in love with the team, the city, the fans, and wants to be here for a long time,” Friedman said.
The players were introduced at Dodger Stadium before catching an evening flight to Arizona, where the team opens spring training Thursday.
Hamels will miss start of season
Atlanta Braves lefthander Cole Hamels won’t be ready for the start of the season after hurting his pitching shoulder during an offseason workout.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos says Hamels will be shut down for at least three weeks. Anthopoulos said Wednesday the 36-year-old Hamels hurt his shoulder while throwing a weighted ball in an attempt to build strength for spring training. Hamels signed an $18 million, one-year deal with Atlanta on Dec. 4 to add experience to a young rotation that also includes Mike Soroka, Max Fried and Mike Foltynewicz. Hamels was not present when pitchers and catchers reported to the team’s new spring facility in North Port, Fla., for Thursday’s first workout.
Rule changes pushed through
Major League Baseball went ahead with its planned rules changes for this season, including the requirement a pitcher must face at least three batters or end the halfinning, unless he is hurt.
The changes were agreed to by MLB and the players’ association last March 8, subject to the study of a joint committee. The three-batter minimum will start in spring training games on March 12.
The active roster limit will increase by one to 26 from opening day through
Aug. 31, will drop from 40 to 28 through the end of the regular season and return to 26 for the postseason. Each team may have a maximum 13 pitchers through Aug. 31 and during the postseason, and 14 from Sept. 1 through the end of the regular season.
What had been a 26th player for certain daynight doubleheaders through Aug. 31 will become a 27th player in those situations, and that player won’t count against the pitcher limit.
Odds and ends
Dodgers reliever Pedro Baez became the first player to win in salary arbitration this year and will earn $4 million rather than the team’s offer of $3.5 million. … Versatile infielder Wilmer Flores and the Giants finalized a $6.25 million, two-year contract as spring training began, giving the club a proven hitter against lefthanded pitching.