Boston Ships OF Benintendi To Kansas City In 3-Team Deal

Though spring training is just days away, MLB teams are still actively making moves and trades. On Wednesday night, the Boston Red Sox dealt outfielder Andrew Benintendi off to the Kansas City Royals.

Benintendi was a big part of the Red Sox in 2018 when the team won the World Series. That year, he hit .290 with 16 homers and 87 runs batted in.

"I think, in many ways, the accomplishments of homegrown payers are the most special to organizations, and Andrew is a great example of that,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said.

“There are so many people who played a role in bringing him to the organization, helping him become who he became and supporting him along the way. Obviously, Andrew deserves the most credit for what he accomplished, but for all of those people, there's a ton to be proud of.”

In return for Benintendi, Boston gets outfielder Franchy Cordero and two KC players to be named later. Boston will also get right-hander Josh Winckowski and a player to be named later from a third team in the deal, the New York Mets.

The Royals send their number eight prospect in their organization, outfielder Khalil Lee, to the Mets in the trade.

Benintendi is set to make $6.6 million this season and has one more year of arbitration eligibility in 2022.

Boston will give the Royals $2.8 million towards Benintendi's salary for the 2021 campaign.

Boston, a team that normally tries to outspend everyone else, is taking on a new outlook for 2021. They are looking to lock up young players and to better their farm system, which has taken a hit in the last decade after a number of trades.

Kansas City has been aggressive all offseason, which isn't a shock considering they have a new owner, John Sherman, who wants to make an impact in the AL Central right away.

The Royals have not been shy about spending money or picking up veteran players, like Carlos Santana, whom they signed via free agency from Cleveland.

Right now, their starting rotation is rather thin, so they probably won't be competitive in 2021. However, it's good to see that instead of standing pat and allowing the franchise to lose another 100-plus games, they are looking to be a competitor in the American League.

The Mets also have a new owner as well, Steve Cohen, and they too have been aggressive with their moves and haven't been shy about spending money. In previous years, they have been rather tight with money, so it seems Cohen is already changing the culture there.

They acquired shortstop Francisco Lindor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco from Cleveland for a number of prospects. Both Lindor and Carrasco will be a big part of the team in 2021, with Lindor penciled in as the starter at short, and Carrasco likely the third or fourth starter.

The Mets were disappointed last week when pitcher Trevor Bauer spurned them after it appeared they had a done deal for his services, but all in all, it's been a productive offseason for the Mets. They are ready to lose the pushover image they have had in the NL East for years.