Red Sox Never Close To Adding Andrew Benintendi In Chris Sale Trade Package

Trey Daubert / MLB / February 13, 2017

Andrew Benintendi Red Sox — Andrew Benintendi is the number one prospect in baseball and happy to stay with the Red Sox in 2017 (Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)

The Boston Red Sox reported to Fort Myers today for the official start of Spring Training. The Red Sox enter the 2017 season as world series contenders and showed off a shiny new addition this offseason, Chris Sale. Boston gave up a nice package of prospects for Sale. According to Red Sox G.M. Dave Dombroski, Boston was never close to including left fielder Andrew Benintendi in those discussions.

Turns out, Andrew Benintendi had nothing to worry about. Dombrowski: "He really was our left fielder. We never came close to trading him."
— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) February 13, 2017

Benintendi is currently ranked as the top prospect in baseball. Lauber also adds the Red Sox players were thrilled that they were able to add a player of Sale’s abilities without taking away from the big league roster.

How did Red Sox players react to Dec. 6 trade for Chris Sale? "We're all on a big group text, and everybody was… https://t.co/QQcr1IbOoa
— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) February 13, 2017

Sale gives Boston one of the best rotations in baseball. He joins 2016 Cy Young winner Rick Porcello and former Cy Young winner David Price. Only 6 pitchers threw over 200 innings in 2016 and now Boston has 3 of them.