Mookie Betts and Kyle Schwarber, two ex-Red Sox, face off in the 2025 National League Division Series. Would the Sox have been better off keeping them instead of letting both go?

Mookie Betts was traded away before the 2020 season for Jeter Downs, Alex Verdugo, and Connor Wong. Of the three, only Connor Wong remains now as a Red Sox, playing catcher. Betts had turned down a $300 million extension from the Red Sox resulting in his trade before his final contract year with the Red Sox. The Dodgers subsequently signed him to a 12 year extension for close to $400 million.

Kyle Schwarber played part of 2021 and left after the season as a free agent, signing a 4-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, a contract that finishes this year.

Mookie since leaving the Red Sox has won two World Series and had 6 consecutive post-seasons with the Dodgers.

Schwarber has led the Phillies to 4 consecutive post-seasons and one World Series after leaving the Red Sox.

Would the Red Sox have gotten to the playoffs in the past few seasons had those two elite top of the order players remained?