3 works?

Mookie Betts (Topps Opening day 2020)

Earlier this year, Dodgers, Red Sox and Twins agreed to the framework of a deal that would send Betts and David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kenta Maeda to the Twins and Alex Verdugo and Brusdar Graterol to Boston.

Dodgers acquire: OF Mookie Betts, LHP David Price and cash from Red Sox
Red Sox acquire: OF Alex Verdugo from Dodgers and RHP prospect Brusdar Graterol from Twins
Twins acquire: RHP Kenta Maeda from Dodgers

	Dodgers	Red Sox	Twins
à	- Alex Verdugo - Kenta Maeda	- Mookie Betts - David Price - cash	- Brusdar Graterol
ß	- Mookie Betts - David Price - cash	- Alex Verdugo - Brusdar Graterol	- Kenta Maeda

The initial blockbuster deal was supposed to be like this. However, the Red Sox had huge concerns about Brusdar Graterol, who had Tommy John surgery and shoulder surgery. The 3-team trade became different…

Andrew Friedman has become the Dodgers’ President of Baseball Operations since October 14, 2014. The Dodgers have won 4 divisional titles since 2015, also won the National League pennants in 2017 and 2018. Before leading the Dodgers’ front office, Friedman was the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations of the Tampa Bay Rays and led the Rays to 4 playoff appearances, including the first AL pennant in franchise history.

Friedman is no doubt a great baseball executive with a proven record. He can build a winning team with one of the lowest payrolls, meanwhile, he’s also creative to make some trades. Particularly, some very interesting 3-team trades.

Rays (2006 - Oct. 2014)
December 3, 2013

	Rays	Diamondbacks	Reds
à	- Justin Choate (minors) - Todd Glaesmann (minors)	- David Holmberg - Heath Bell - cash	- Ryan Hanigan
ß	- Heath Bell - cash - Ryan Hanigan	- Justin Choate (minors) - Todd Glaesmann (minors)	- David Holmberg

This trade didn’t seem to work. 3-time all-star Heath Bell pitched only 17.1 innings for the Rays with ERA 7.27 and he was released by the Rays in May, 2014. Ryan Hanigan was considered to be a good defensive catcher who can help the team offensively, he played 84 games in 2014, batting .218/.318 /.324.

July 31, 2014

	Rays	Tigers	Mariners
à	- David Price	- Austin Jackson - Willy Adames - Drew Smyly	- Nick Franklin
ß	- Willy Adames - Drew Smyly - Nick Franklin	- David Price	- Austin Jackson

One of the biggest trades made by Friedman. 2012 Cy Young winner David Price sent to the Tigers, the Rays acquired Willy Adames, Drew Smyly and Nick Franklin. Willy Adames made his MLB debut in 2018 and now is the everyday shortstop. Smyly pitched 49 games for the Rays before being traded to the Mariners. Nick Franklin hit .227/.284/.388 in the 3 seasons with the Rays.

Dodgers (Oct. 2014 -)
July 30, 2015

	Dodgers	Braves	Marlins
à	- Zachary Bird (minors) - Hector Olivera - Paco Rodriguez - Victor Araujo (minors) - Kevin Guzman (minors)  - Jeff Brigham	- Bronson Arroyo - Luis Avilan - Jim Johnson - Jose Peraza - Alex Wood	- Mat Latos - Mike Morse - 2016 competitive balance round A pick
ß	- Bronson Arroyo - Luis Avilan - Jim Johnson - Jose Peraza - Alex Wood - Mat Latos - Mike Morse	- Zachary Bird (minors) - Hector Olivera - Paco Rodriguez - 2016 competitive balance round A pick	- Victor Araujo (minors) - Kevin Guzman (minors) - Jeff Brigham

The Dodgers acquired 5 pitchers and 2 position players in this 3-team trade. There was no doubt that the Dodgers would like to enhance pitching depth.

Bronson Arroyo didn’t play any games for the Dodgers and selected to be a free agent after 2015 season.

Luis Avilan was with the Dodgers for 3 years, pitching 81.1 innings with ERA 3.43. In 2018, Avilan was traded to the White Sox in a 3-team trade.

From 2015 to 2018, Alex Wood became an important role in the Dodgers rotation. 2017 was his breakout year, he had 16 wins while his ERA was only 2.72 and became an All-Star. He pitched more than 150 innings each in 2017 and 2018. He was traded to the Reds in 2019, but the Dodgers signed him on a 1-year deal in January 2020.

Former All-Star Jim Johnson probably preferred to forget his time with the Dodgers. He pitched only 18.2 innings and his ERA was more than 10.

The Dodgers wanted to enhance the rotation by acquiring Mat Latos. However, it didn’t work. Latos pitched only 6 games and had ERA 6.66. He was DFAed in September 2015.

Jose Peraza made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in August, but was traded in another 3-team trade in December.

Michael Morse was traded again the next day, to the Pirates.

December 16, 2015

	Dodgers	Reds	White Sox
à	- Brandon Dixon - Jose Peraza - Scott Schebler	- Todd Frazier	- Micah Johnson - Frankie Montas - Trayce Thompson
ß	- Micah Johnson - Frankie Montas - Trayce Thompson	- Brandon Dixon - Jose Peraza - Scott Schebler	- Todd Frazier

Micah Johnson had only 6 plate appearances with the Dodgers before being traded to the Braves in 2017.

Frankie Montas didn’t pitch any games for the Dodgers before he was traded to Oakland in 2016.

Trayce Thompson played 101 games for the Dodgers in 2016 and 2017, batting .207/.287/.407, with 14 home runs.

January 4, 2018

	Dodgers	White Sox	Royals
à	- Luis Avilan - cash - Erick Mejia - Trevor Oaks	- Jake Peter (minors)	- Scott Alexander - Joakim Soria - cash
ß	- Scott Alexander - Jake Peter (minors)	- Luis Avilan - cash (from Dodgers) - Joakim Soria - cash (from Royals)	- Erick Mejia - Trevor Oaks

Jake Peter still hasn’t made his MLB debut, but the Dodgers invited him to spring training two consecutive years.

Dodgers added lefty Scott Alexander to enhance the bullpen. Last 2 seasons, he had 28 holds and 3 saves in 101 games.

Making trades requires lots of preparation, you have to understand your players and know players from other teams. Meanwhile, there are different purposes to make trades, for example, to make an instant impact on getting into the playoff or to cut the payroll. Working on a 3-team trade is more complicated and needs lots of efforts to get it done. The blockbuster 3-team trade earlier this year didn’t work as it was initiated. However, Friedman did make some interesting 3-team trades that can be discussed for a while. Willy Adames is already an everyday shortstop, at the same time, David Price, traded to the Tigers by Friedman, now reunites with Friedman in the Dodgers. Jose Pereza and Luis Avilan were in 3-team trades twice. They probably didn’t know they would be in a 3-team trade again. Friedman called Mookie Betts the best player he has ever traded for. I guess Alex Wood is probably the best pitcher Friedman got from a 3-team trade since Wood threw more than 400 innings and struck out more than 400 times from 2015 to 2018.

People can judge a trade good or bad, but there are several factors to think before rating a trade. The way Andrew Friedman works on a trade somehow shows that you can always find a “creative solution” under certain circumstances.