The past two weeks have been something of a fever dream for Boston Red Sox fans. What looked like a third straight mediocre season has turned on a dime, and it's changing the way everyone sees this team heading into the second half.
Yes, the Red Sox have won 10 of their last 13. Yes, Jarren Duran is one of the five best players in the American League in terms of both bWAR and fWAR. But the Boston ownership group has also conditioned us to expect minimal spending as of late. So where does that leave the Sox ahead of the 2024 MLB trade deadline?
In short, we don't know. Manager Alex Cora seemingly threw down the gauntlet Wednesday, saying he expected his team to not only compete for a Wild Card spot but to take a run at the division as well. It's obvious these Red Sox have something good brewing, but how much will that affect first-year general manager Craig Breslow's deadline plans?
With that uncertainty in mind, let's take a look at three Red Sox who might want to keep their phones nearby as the deadline continues to creep closer. Whether this team buys, sells, or does a little bit of both, we know they'll be one of the most talked-about teams between now and July 31.
Kenley Jansen, closer
If anyone from this Red Sox team is going to be sold to a more viable World Series contender, it's Kenley Jansen. The 36-year-old is having his best season since 2021, pitching to a 2.30 ERA/2.13 FIP while converting 15 of his 16 save opportunities on the year.
All the while, Jansen is making $16 million this season, an albatross amount for a pitcher of his age, and we know Fenway Sports Group would love to share the bill. Plus, Boston signed Liam Hendriks in the off-season, almost a public announcement that Jansen's replacement would be waiting to take his spot once the Aussie recovered from his Tommy John rehab.
But unexpectedly, Jansen has won over Red Sox fans' hearts with just how well he has pitched this season. It was something of a running joke that Jansen was the team's lone All-Star representative last season, because name recognition aside, he wasn't having a standout season. This year, ironically, it would feel justified to see him make the team, but he likely won't due to the other star closers in the AL.
So is there a world where Jansen stays and helps with a Red Sox playoff push? Absolutely, and Jansen himself has said he wants to stay and help make that push. But it's a business at the end of the day, and Breslow knows teams will be calling. It will depend on the offers and whether or not Breslow is swayed enough to pull the trigger.
Tyler O'Neill, outfielder
It feels less likely by the day that the Sox trade O'Neill, even though he's an impending free agent, just because of how valuable he's been when in the lineup. With a .909 OPS and 16 homers in just 56 games, O'Neill has arguably been the second-best pure hitter on the team behind the always-excellent Rafael Devers.
It has been fascinating to watch O'Neill evolve into more of a veteran power hitter than the high-flyer he was in 2021 when he finished eighth in MVP voting and won his second Gold Glove. It's clear his injuries have zapped some of his speed, but he's punishing the baseball while raising his walk rate from the 26th percentile three years ago to the 91st now.
But because O'Neill has been so good, and because the Red Sox always had at least some intention to test the trade market for him, there's always a chance he could be moved. Boston does have excellent outfield depth on the current roster and that's without Roman Anthony in the picture, the 20-year-old future Grady Sizemore they have in Double-A.
If a team blows Breslow away with an offer for O'Neill, Boston might just have to figure out how to replace his bat the rest of this season. It may not have a 50% chance of happening, but it's definitely above 10.
Nazzan Zanetello, infielder
The Red Sox's minor league system is in an amazing spot, especially compared to where it was about half a decade ago. Though not all publications rank the overall system in the top 10, there's a clear-cut big three (Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel), plus a bunch of other high-ceiling young bats behind them.
If Boston is going to become buyers, someone of value obviously has to be dealt from the system, and it's almost certainly going to be a position player. Two meteoric risers this season in Matthew Lugo and Kristian Campbell are options here too, but we went with Nazzan Zanetello, Boston's 2023 second-rounder who's showing steady improvement at 19 in Low-A Salem.
Zanetello, a 6-foot-2 shortstop ranked No. 8 in the Boston system by MLB Pipeline, is likely the most expendable name in the Top 10 because he's blocked at his position by Mayer, who nearly everyone expects to take over the starting job at Fenway by mid-2025. That means some lucky team could be getting a steal if Zanetello fulfills his two-way potential and becomes a 20-homer bat in the middle of the diamond.
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