MLBPA Leader Tony Clark Becomes Latest Figure to Call Red Sox Out Over Mookie Betts Trade

The Boston Red Sox made it appear as if there was no other option other than to trade Mookie Betts.

Mookie is set to earn a massive deal next offseason and the Los Angeles Dodgers were more than happy to acquire him, seemingly with the goal to extend him next year. The trade itself caused a bit of a stir given the fact the Red Sox are not a small organization. MLBPA leader Tony Clark spoke out against the Red Sox over the move.

Clark on Red Sox trade of Betts: ‘I don’t think it was necessary... we believe Mookie is a generational talent. The idea that he is no longer here is one we didn’t believe was necessary.’
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) February 25, 2020

This is the classic battle between owners and players. The owners want to continue making high profits and the players always want a bigger cut. In this scenario, Betts wanted his market value and the Red Sox decided to move on.

#RedSox owner apologized to fans for trading Mookie Betts to #Dodgers but “we felt we could not sit on our hands and let him go without getting value in return.” Team prez Sam Kennedy said “this was not about getting under CBT. You don’t trade Mookie Betts to get under the CBT.”
— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) February 17, 2020

Fans will likely never buy the excuses as the Red Sox have one of the highest payrolls in baseball and have handed out terrible contracts throughout the years to players nowhere near Betts' level of stardom.

Clark's job is to defend the players and his comments will continue to frustrate Red Sox fans. The only people happy after all of this are Red Sox ownership and the everyone associated with the Dodgers.