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With the Boston Red Sox preparing for the trade deadline, there are people in the baseball world wondering who the team can add to further improve their roster. While the rumors will continue to surround the Red Sox, some fans could theorize if the team will once again make a trade, likened to that of pitcher Garrett Crochet.
Boston traded for Crochet in December of last year and has been a standout this season, recording an 11-4 record to go along with a 2.19 ERA (third in MLB) and 165 strikeouts (first in MLB). In Jeff Passan's latest column for ESPN, he would theorize about the team going after Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan.
“Boston's everyday lineup is strong enough all the way around the diamond to chase upgrades,” Passan wrote. “The Red Sox have a glut of outfielders — the reason Duran is even being talked about — but manager Alex Cora has done yeoman's work to keep them all happy and in the lineup regularly. Their starting pitching behind Garrett Crochet has stabilized enough to keep them in contention for the postseason without sacrificing the prospect capital it would take to land Ryan.”
“When the Red Sox are playing well, they look like world beaters, and when they're not, they just look beat,” Passan continued. “Maybe they pony up to get Ryan, seeing it the same way they did in the four-prospect haul it took to land Crochet, but for now, at least, they simply haven't been willing to go there.”
Unclear plan for Red Sox at trade deadline
As the Red Sox could be a dangerous team at the trade deadline, Passan would also talk about the scenario that the team stays pat and makes no changes, especially after making headlines in dealing star Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. Still, one has to wonder if Boston's chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has something under his sleeve.
“At this moment, the Red Sox are not inclined to engage in any large-scale deadline moves,” Passan wrote. “Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has said the team wants to add after trading Devers, and while it would surprise no one if they did, Boston is an organization that deeply values operating efficiently, and a market like this is the epitome of inefficient. Holding now would speak to the Red Sox's comfort with their current roster and the exceptional price to bolster it.”
“At the same time, the Red Sox are weak enough in spots — non-Ceddanne Rafaela-and-Carlos Narvaez defense, baserunning — to acknowledge that this might not be the year to chase a player on an expiring contract such as Seth Lugo,” Passan continued.
It remains to be seen if the Red Sox will be active before the deadline on July 31.
