With the MLB trading deadline scheduled for Monday, August 31, uncertainty hangs in the air for the Boston Red Sox.
As the team with the worst record in the AL East, 10-21, the Sox are likely to look to the future, rather than immediate, success. For that purpose, they made a move last Friday, trading pitchers Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree (during the game) to the Philadelphia Phillies for right-handers Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold.
The Red Sox front office has been in talks with other clubs, according to team president Sam Kennedy. Kennedy appeared on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show two weeks ago, and also rejoiced that when it comes to transactions, no one is “untouchable”:
“We would never label anyone as inviolable,” Kennedy said. “Just seeing the fact that sometimes you have to re-tool and restructure for the future, sometimes you have to make difficult decisions, as you saw with the Mookie [Betts] transaction. I do not believe that one would not be invulnerable, but there are guys who grew up in the system that we want to keep with the Sox for a long, long time. “
Last week, baseball officer Chaim Bloom reiterated those sentiments, adding that he thinks Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers can hold on.
‘That’s simple. Those guys are core players for us, “Bloom said according to Christopher Smith of Mass Live. They are incredibly important for our future, just as they have been important here for some time. I think philosophically I do not like to think in terms of absolute nos, but those guys are important players to us. We are very hopeful that they will be part of our next championship. ”
However, given the team’s record for superstars (ie Betts), anything could happen. One name thrown out is catcher Christian Vazquez, who on Tuesday said he wants to ‘retire’ with the team.
Will the Red Sox treat Christian Vazquez before the deadline for trading? Determining its value is … complicated https://t.co/G4kJNDrhiE
– Alex Speier (@alexspeier) August 26, 2020
Another is Bogaerts, as noted by Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal – has a six-year, $ 120 million contract that comes with a catch: a no-trade clause after seven years in the majors beginning Sept. 6.
“Bogaerts’ time in Boston may be limited,” Rosenthal wrote. “His deal allows him to opt for ’22, an option he could very well pursue, given that by 2021-22 free agents Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Javier Báez and Trevor Story would already have the market for shortstops. “Reset … A trade before August 31 would be difficult for several reasons. But the Sox season is a train wreck, and Bogaerts is not sure he will be in Boston in the long run.”
On the other hand, some think that trading with Bogaerts, Devers or Verdugo does not have to be the move.
“Acting on one of these players would represent another, more conscious step on the path Boston began to take last season,” wrote Ringer’s Issac Levy-Rubinett.
Here are what other experts predict the Sox will do.
Jeff Passan, ESPN: “The Red Sox should have everyone shopping on their list, not to mention Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and Alex Verdugo. Not a single player throwing a pitch for the Red Sox this season past Darwinzon Hernandez will be at Boston after 2022. With a mediocre farming system and player development more or less in neutral this season, rebuilding the Red Sox’s rebuilding will not be easy,
“So if it’s now with free agents Jackie Bradley Jr. and Kevin Pillar like this winter with Christian Vazquez and Martin Perez (who have the fourth-lowest average starting speed among starters this season), they move. can get for JD Martinez, who has another opt-out clause this winter, do it then. “
Alex Speier, Boston Globe: “A ticket from Boston would come with the benefit of moving to pennant races. But that does not mean that the opportunity is welcome – especially for catcher Christian Vazquez, the longest-serving member of the Red Sox organization among active players …
“In fact, the call belongs to Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom and the Red Sox front office. That group confronts Vazquez with the same question that confronts it with almost every member of the list: Is he part of the foundation of the team or one whose greatest influence would come from which player or players he could bring back? The answer is complicated. ”
Kevin Laird, WEEI: ‘If you’re in the bottom of a hole, you need to seek help – the right help – to get out. Bogaerts with a lone kick will not dig your way to World Series battle in 2021 as ’22 … Face reality. This current Sox junk is Exxon Valdez oil pollution bad. 2022 is the goal for promotion, and they need help from one or two above-average wipers, the kind you can only get back now for a trade of quality talent like Bogaerts. ”
Chris Cotillo, Mass Live: ‘It will be a surprise if [Matt] Barnes en [Kevin] Pillars are on the team coming Monday. Moreland is likely to attract a ton of interest. The Bradley Jr. brand. is less certain, but the Red Sox will certainly shop him hard …
“There is a collection of unheralded candidates for Red Sox trading who could actually get something on the open market but did not grab headlines. Four are relievers – Brasier, Brice, Osich and Valdez – while Plawecki could seduce teams on looking for a backup catcher …
“Perhaps the two biggest decisions involved Martinez and Perez, who both have contracts that complicate matters. If both were pure tenants, they would be easy candidates for trade …
“After the obvious trade candidates come a handful of players who do not profile themselves as such, but can definitely be moved. The two most intriguing are Benintendi and Vazquez, who have come under rumors in recent days. “
RJ Anderson, CBS Sports: “A few outfielders, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Kevin Pillar, are thought to be the likely Red Sox to be treated before September hits, according to what league sources CBS Sports have said …
“While the Red Sox Bradley Jr. not so aggressively plodding, they have taken the opposite approach with Pillar. He stands for a larger percentage of left-handers than usual, and that works out just fine … He probably won’t keep up that pace, based on his career numbers (.280 / .314 / .459), but he would have to make up for a nice short side peloton option for anyone. ”
Matt Collins, SB Nation’s Over the Monster: “Bloom does not really know what happened to Rays prospects in recent months, but he is at least familiar with their personalities … That, that makes the matchup interesting, but it also only works if the Red Sox have everything the Rays have. If we were to look at a big deal, that would come to Christian Vázquez. I’ll be clear I do not think the Red Sox would be wise to treat their catcher, but if that is indeed on the table, the Rays are an obvious fit.
“Tampa Bay has a Rubik’s Cube of a lineup with peloton up and down, but the one place where they don’t really have a great strategy is behind the plate.”
John Tomase, NBC Sports Boston: “That said, there’s still a lot of fun if you’re a candidate who needs to catch up, and there happens to be a perfect match on the West Coast in the city suddenly known as Slam Diego [the Padres]… If the Padres want to challenge the Dodgers in the NL West, they will probably give priority to a catching upgrade, and Vazquez would certainly qualify.
“What can the Red Sox get back? The obvious name to consider is catcher Luis Campusano, MLB.com’s overall prospect on the 54th rankings, although the Padres are loaded all over the load … Campusano has not helped the Red Sox for maybe three or four years, but Bloom has stressed that his priority is making the right moves in the long run to return to the team after ongoing fighting. ”
Tom Caron, Sun Journal: “[Matt] Barnes is now the senior member of the pitching staff, and could well be traded before the August 31 deadline. That can be said in principle about anyone. That’s what happens when a team misses the playoffs with the highest payroll in the game and follows that up with the worst record in the American League next year. Short season if no, that will not be in Boston …
“As Bloom adds more talent to the team’s future, he’s thinking of taking on some of the team’s top players. Which means players are looking at each other and asking themselves if they can be part of the next deal. ”
Peter Abraham, Boston Globe: “It will be a surprise if Kevin Pillar stays a member of the Red Sox through [Monday], Pillar hit .278 with a .793 OPS in 25 games for the Red Sox and played outstanding defense on the field, in the very right field …
“Other teams see that too. Plus picking up the 31-year-old veteran would only cost $ 600,000 for September. ”
Bob Nightengale, USA Today: “The Boston Red Sox have let everyone know there are no untouchables, which means midfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. should be on the road, but unlikely shortstop Xander Bogaerts …
“The Phillies-Red Sox trade should be the model for most of the moves made this past week, dealing with major leagues for major leaguers, mixing cash with the Red Sox covering $ 815,000 of their salaries, and having at least one player (Workman) in the last year of his contract.
“I can not see big trade, I can not,” said one GM on condition of anonymity, because he is not authorized to speak in public. There’s just too much risk. Too much uncertainty with everyone still saving money. Nobody knows the monetary aspect of next year. What will the payroll be in the future? Will we have fans next year? ”
