The Twins Have Reportedly Backed Out Of The Mookie Betts Red Sox-Dodgers Trade (Update: Not Quite Yet)

Just a real shame. All started with that tweet, and now here we are. The Minnesota Twins have backed out of the blockbuster deal that would send Mookie Betts and David Price to the Dodgers, Alex Verdugo to the Red Sox, Kenta Maeda to the Twins, and Brusdar Graterol to the Red Sox. Damn. And I was just learning how to spell and pronounce Graterol's name.

 If a blockbuster trade involving Red Sox star outfielder Mookie Betts is to be made, the Twins won’t be a part of it.

According to two sources with knowledge of talks, the Twins no longer expect to work out their end of a proposed three-way deal involving the Red Sox and Dodgers, a deal in which the Twins were to receive righthander Kenta Maeda from the Dodgers while sending righthanded flamethrower Brusdar Graterol to the Red Sox.

Honestly, good for the Twins. I wrote about this yesterday that they were put in a ridiculous position in all of this, and they're telling both teams to fuck off, as they should. After looking at Graterol's medicals, the Red Sox balked at completing the trade and reportedly asked for another top 10 prospect from the Twins to complete the deal. According to Jon Heyman, the Twins actually tried to comply with Boston's request, but the Red Sox didn't agree to any of the names that were floated their way.

I'll say the same thing I said when I learned that tidbit -- why would the Twins give up two top prospects for Maeda when they were originally told that they could have him for one? And why would they give up another top 10 prospect so that the Dodgers could acquire Betts and Price?

It made zero sense, and that's why the Twins are now out on this trade, which means Graterol stays with the Twins and Maeda stays with the Dodgers. For now. However, the Red Sox and Dodgers obviously would still like to work out a deal here, so does that mean that they involve a new third team? Do the Dodgers fork up something new that was previously not on the table to complete the deal? Does the trade collapse entirely? Do the Red Sox shift their focus back to the Padres for a Mookie trade? The drama is palpable, folks. We'll update you as soon as we get the info.

UPDATE:

The reporting on this whole thing has been nothing short of an absolute shit show.