The Boston Red Sox are in a bit of an odd position ahead of the 2022 MLB trade deadline. With MLB rumors beginning to swirl, the Red Sox are currently sitting at 47-42, a record where one could conceivably convince themselves to buy or sell at the August 2 deadline.

However, it's more likely that Boston believes they can compete, especially with the additional Wild Card thrown into the mix. The Red Sox are right in the race for a Wild Card spot at the moment, which is enough of a reason for Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom to pick up the phone and start looking for MLB trade deadline deals that will put the club in a better position to contend.

But what should Bloom be looking for? What are the Red Sox biggest needs? That's what we'll discuss here. Without further ado, here are two key areas the Red Sox must address at this year's MLB trade deadline.

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Red Sox 2 Biggest Needs At MLB Trade Deadline

2. More offensive production from first base 

The Red Sox first base production- both on offense and defense- has been among the worst in baseball. Per Baseball Reference, Red Sox first basemen have been worth -1.9 Wins Above Replacement. That's the second-worst mark in the big leagues, next to non-contenders like the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bobby Dalbec, who was projected by many to break out in a big way this year, has a .623 OPS and a 30.5 percent strikeout rate. Franchy Cordero has been better, but not by much, as he owns a .702 OPS with a strikeout rate north of 30 percent as well.

There's far too much swing-and-miss here- and not enough production- for a team with a disciplined and productive lineup around the two struggling first basemen.

Who knows how much better Boston would be with a more offense out of the first base spot? If talking about MLB trade deadline needs, there might not be no more obvious one than first base for Boston.

1. Late-inning reliever 

Now, onto the less obvious. The Red Sox bullpen has been solid this season, with a 3.64 ERA, which puts them in the middle of the pack. However, as any Boston fan would tell you, the ninth inning has been like a roller coaster ride at Six Flags New England.

As MLB.com's Mark Feinsand wisely pointed out, the Red Sox are among the leaders in blown saves this season. That's an awful lot of games that could have gone differently for the Red Sox, had they possessed a more dependable option to handle the ninth-inning duties.

Tanner Houck, a former starter-turned-closer, might be better off in a long relief role- or back in the rotation. There is no one on the roster with extensive closing experience either.

Fellow relievers Ryan Brasier and Jake Diekman have taken on a handful of save opportunities in their careers, though not enough to suggest either of them would be comfortable in the role full-time.

Boston needs to get a dependable closer if they want to make a run at the postseason.