The blockbuster trade sending Mookie Betts and David Price to the Dodgers is temporarily on hold after the Red Sox were not satisfied with the medical records of pitcher Brusdar Graterol, according to numerous reports.
And while the Red Sox wait for approval of the trade, Commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday he hopes to complete his investigation into alleged electronic sign stealing by the Red Sox before spring training camps open next week
“I think you should assume that before the season starts we will have new guidelines with respect to the use of video equipment,” Manfred said Thursday after an owners’ meeting. “I think we have too much video available in real time right now.”
After former Houston pitcher Mike Fiers told The Athletic in November that the Astros used a video camera to steal the signs of opposing catchers in 2017 and 2018, Manfred last month suspended Houston Manager AJ Hinch and General Manager Jeff Luhnow for one season, fined the Astros $5 million and stripped them of their first- and second-round drafts picks in 2020 and 2021.
Hinch and Luhnow were fired the same day, and the scandal led to the departures of Boston Manager Alex Cora, Houston’s bench coach during its 2017 title run, and New York Mets Manager Carlos Beltran, an Astros player that season.
MLB is investigating a separate allegation the Red Sox broke sign-stealing rules in 2018, when Cora led Boston to the championship in his first season as manager.
“I’m hopeful that that I can get Boston done before the camps open,” said Manfred, with workouts to start Wednesday.
Manfred did not punish any Houston players and said no Red Sox players will be sanctioned. But he left open the possibility of discipline for future violations.
“We have the right to discipline players right now. I’m absolutely convinced of that fact,” he said. “We made a decision in the Houston investigation that in order for us to get the facts that we needed, somebody had to get immunity.”
He was not disappointed by the failure of current Astros players to apologize.
“I think the jury’s still out on exactly what the Houston players are going to say,” he said, pointing toward spring training as the possible time and place for contrition.
Boston is hoping its trade is finalized sooner than that. The Red Sox agreed to acquire Graterol (from the Twins) and outfielder Alex Verdugo (from the Dodgers) in the three-team deal Tuesday night, but might demand additional compensation in the form of a player or cash after reviewing Graterol’s medicals.
The records led the Sox to project Graterol “more as a reliever than a starter,” leading Boston to rework the deal in order to secure a more valuable package for Betts and Price.
Officials involved in the talks are still confident the deal will be completed, according to reports, but cautioned the final deal might be altered. The original trade had Betts, Price and cash going to Los Angeles, Verdugo and Graterol going to Boston and right-hander Kenta Maeda set to join the Twins.
Graterol, who made his major league debut in September, missed more than two months of last season due to a right shoulder impingement.
If the deal were to fall apart completely, the Red Sox would find themselves in a very awkward position with spring training beginning in a week and Betts and Price suddenly back in the fold.
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