I asked some of my favorite writers to tell me how some ex-2018 Red Sox are doing in their new homes. Here's what they said.

Checking in on Mookie, Benny, Kimbrel, the Brockstar, and World Series Hero David Price

The 2018 Red Sox will the be gold standard for measuring future Red Sox teams for a long time, perhaps the next century. They were that good. Sadly, the team didn’t stick around for but one more disappointing season before disbanding. Despite their shelf life, the 2018 team was full of players whose impact remains even after they departed for other teams. It’s an important week in Red Sox Nation with the run for a Wild Card spot continuing in earnest, but as the regular season comes to a close, it’s an appropriate time to check in on how some of our old best friends are doing.

To do this, I broke out my e-rolodex and asked some of my favorite writers, people who cover these players in their new homes, to write a paragraph or two on how their seasons have turned out. Just to catch us all up a bit. And to give us in Red Sox Nation a moment of nostalgia and a chance to catch our breath for the week upcoming.

There will be much more Sox Outsider this week and in the weeks to come, but for now, I want to turn this over to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic to start.

Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic on Mookie Betts

If you look at it from just a quick glance on the stat line, it looks like your standard, typical Mookie Betts season. He’s been one of the game’s best and most consistent hitters and an engine atop one of the best lineups in baseball. He’s done so with plus defense, too. But you loop in the context of what has made Betts’ season – he’s missed games with, among other ailments, a back issue, a forearm issue, a knee issue, allergies, the stomach flu but most notably a bone spur in his right hip limited him through July and August but dates back to the first week of the season – and it’s impressive the amount of production the Dodgers have gotten out of him.

He was an All-Star again this season despite what Betts called a “bad” first half, and despite playing on a hip that’s barely been playable at times has still had an OPS above 1.000 since the All-Star break. Injuries to Cody Bellinger have forced Betts to play more center field than usual, and Betts’ own injury has seen him mix in more at second base than he has in years (the logic, the Dodgers said, being that Betts would aggravate the hip running around the outfield).

Betts remains one of the top players in the sport, and his ability to perform the way he has despite some of his physical ailments just further emphasizes the kind of special player he is. If the Dodgers repeat as World Series champions, it’s hard not to see Betts right at the forefront of it just like he was last postseason.

- Fabian covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for The Athletic. Follow him on Twitter @FabianArdaya.

Bob Harkins of Fox Sports on David Price

David Price is never going to be the 5-7 WAR pitcher he was in 2014-15. He might not even be the 2.5 WAR guy he was during Boston’s 2018 World Series championship season. But he has played an important role for the Dodgers through the 2021 season, compiling a 3.86 ERA/3.97 FIP through 35 appearances (11 starts).

Those numbers don’t knock your socks off, but the lefty’s willingness to see-saw between the rotation and the bullpen have proven valuable in the face of injuries to Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin – not to mention the certain legal troubles of a certain pitcher that we won’t dive into here – and set an example for younger players.

The bullpen – where Price’s sinker/change combo has been relatively effective at producing ground balls – is probably the best place for Price the rest of the way, especially given his recent elbow issues.

From a Dodgers perspective, though, anything Price gives them will be considered icing on the Mookie Betts cake, since their willingness to take on his salary - actually, only half of his salary - is a big reason they were able to land the 2018 AL MVP in the first place.

- Bob is a Senior Editor at Fox Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @Bharks.

Levi Weaver of The Athletic on Brock Holt

Brock Holt is playing for the team he grew up watching in the Texas Rangers. He's one of two "veteran leaders" in the clubhouse, along with third base platoon partner Charlie Culberson. While he has been well-received by fans and teammates alike, the fact his that his season has been somewhat emblematic of the team: he has played hard every day, kept a good attitude, and been worth precisely 0.1 bWAR.

- Levi covers the Texas Rangers for The Athletic. Follow him on Twitter @ThreeTwoEephus.

Janice Scurio of NBC Sports Edge and South Side Sox on Craig Kimbrel

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Pushing aside that the White Sox trade history with the Cubs has been arguably one-sided, the South Siders had a need to fortify their already-formidable bullpen in order to make a deep postseason run. Sent to the Cubs in exchange for Craig Kimbrel, Nick Madrigal had season-ending surgery to repair torn tendons in his hamstring earlier in the year. Before that, the 24-year-old second baseman was known for being an elite contact hitter, but left much to be desired with the glove, and on the basepaths.

One elite closer in Liam Hendriks was good, but two? Two would have been great. (At least in theory.) Kimbrel’s lights-out numbers with the Cubs made him an attractive target. But since being traded to the White Sox at the deadline, Kimbrel has a 5.68 ERA (4.32 FIP) in 19 innings pitched over 20 appearances, including two performances where he gave up three earned runs to his former ballclub. Early theories said that he was not adjusting well to being a setup man, later ones postulate that he’s being overused. Though some prior grievances had been aired with Madrigal (and Codi Heuer), this was overall a steep price to pay for a rental that can’t seem to get out of innings unscathed.

- Janice co-hosts the South Side Sox Podcast, and writes at a variety of places, including NBC Sports Edge. You can follow her on Twitter @scuriiosa.

Craig Brown of Into The Fountains on Andrew Benintendi

When Matt asked if I could write a blurb about Andrew Benintendi and how he’s done in his first season in Kansas City, things weren’t going so great for Benny. (Please bear with me. I don’t recall the exact date Matt asked me if I could do this. And I don’t want to spoil a good narrative with a fact that isn’t super-important. Play along. It is close enough.) On September 7, he was hitting .254/.299/.403. His name was coming up in whispers that he was playing his way to becoming a non-tender candidate. Things weren’t going great.

Behold the powers of Sox Outsider! Once Matt asked for my contribution, Benny got hot. Stupid hot. A five RBI game on September 8 was followed by another five RBI game on September 10. Over the last two-plus weeks, he’s hit a tidy .413/.426/.651. That sweet left-handed swing has become lethal.

You know the story because it’s not dissimilar to what he experienced in Boston. He got off to a fine start, found himself sidelined with an injury (this time a cracked rib) and probably tried to come back too quickly. I suppose he’s healthy now. Since that September 8 game, he’s raised his batting average over 20 points, his OBP by 17 and his slugging percentage by a whopping 34 points. These are just insane increases given the number of plate appearances he has and the fact we’ve almost played the entire season. Oh, and he’s playing a solid defense in left, rated by The Fielding Bible as the best left fielder in the AL with +8 Defensive Runs Saved.

Benny has gone from non-tender candidate to extension candidate in the span of weeks. Amazing what a player can do when fully healthy. And when blessed by the power of Sox Outsider.

- Craig writes the Into The Fountains newsletter at Substack, which covers the Kansas City Royals. Follow him on Twitter @CraigBrown_BP.

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So many thanks to Fabian, Janice, Bob, Levi, and Craig for their words and their time. Please check them out at their sites linked above. I’ll be back here with more words on the 2021 Red Sox, assuming we’re in any kind of mood to read more about them, soon.

Oh, one more thing. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to Sox Outsider. It’s free, it’s about the Red Sox, and it’s by me. Two out of three isn’t bad.

Thanks for reading.