The Boston Red Sox have launched themselves from the bottom of the league to playoff contenders. This makes their Trade Deadline all the more interesting.
The Red Sox already made an aggressive move to acquire infielder Curtis Mead for starter Connelly Early. They’re reportedly far from done.
According to Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive, the Red Sox are aggressively targeting three main needs. These positions are pitching depth, an upgrade at catcher and a shortstop.
Acquiring a shortstop is the most surprising of the three, but according to Cotillo and McAdam, Craig Breslow is looking for a long-term answer at the position.
What’s the Latest on the Boston Red Sox’ Trade Deadline?
Considering many factors, the Red Sox do not need to acquire a shortstop. But that’s exactly what Breslow may plan on doing.
“The Red Sox are looking for a ‘long-term’ option at the position,” Cotillo and McAdam wrote. “The market is rich with big-name candidates who may or may not move, including the Angels’ Zach Neto, Houston’s Jeremy Peña, the Mets’ Francisco Lindor and Washington’s C.J. Abrams.”
While all of these names could very well stay with their current team, this is nonetheless interesting.
Incumbent shortstop Trevor Story is tied to the Red Sox through the 2027 season, with a 2028 team option that is unlikely to be exercised. However, he still has a lot of money left on his current deal, making it difficult to offload that contract.
Adding a shortstop would also make the pathway for young infielder Marcelo Mayer to get regular playing time more difficult.
But more importantly, it would block top prospect Franklin Arias, who was just promoted to Triple-A.
According to Cotillo and McAdam, a major deal would likely need to include Mayer and/or Arias to make the logistics work. One thing that may work for or against them, depending on how you look at it, is that Arias could be called up to Boston or another team by the end of the season.
This is important because if he’s on the 40-man roster at the end of the season, which he currently isn’t, it could freeze him from playing if the 2027 CBA dispute is as lengthy as expected.
If he’s not on the 40-man roster, he can play in the minors uninterrupted until the lockout is resolved. This creates a tough decision for Boston to make in the coming days.
More on the Team’s Deadline
The Red Sox rank 21st in the majors in OPS for catchers (.624) and are therefore looking to acquire a bat-first catcher.
According to Cotillo and McAdam, Colorado’s Hunter Goodman, Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman and Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers are the top candidates to fill that role.
While Boston’s pitching has been elite with the likes of Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle, Jake Bennett and others contributing to a major mid-season turnaround, playoff contenders could always use pitching upgrades.
With the trade of Connelly Early, Boston is showing increased faith in these pitchers. However, there still could be a need for a starter who could be a playoff bullpen arm as well.
Whatever the case may be, the Red Sox are in for an interesting Trade Deadline.
Red Sox Plans at Trade Deadline Reportedly Include Surprise Position