One year ago, the Red Sox were sitting in much the same position that they’re in now, pretty comfortably above .500 and in the thick of the race for one of the three AL wild-card spots. But GM Chaim Bloom decided not to be aggressive at the MLB trade deadline, and a 56-47 record on July 27 withered to a 78-84 finish, last place in the division.
Through July 11, the Red Sox were 51-41, having won eight of their last 10 games and looking like a team that could have the makings of a playoff bunch — FanGraphs has the Red Sox with a 47% chance of earning a playoff bid. That could inspire the new GM, Craig Breslow, to take action and be aggressive on the trade market, even if it is to tinker around the edges.
Bloom sat still, but Breslow, having been an MLB player for 12 years with seven teams, knows how morale can be boosted when a team takes some action at the deadline. Thus, if things hold as they are — with the Red Sox in the thick of the wild-card race and a dark horse for the AL East crown — we can expect Breslow to get active.
And one familiar face who could come back to boost the stretch run is a veteran leader the Red Sox know well: J.D. Martinez.
J.D. Martinez Could Be Dealt if Mets Slide
That’s the prediction from MassLive’s Sean McAdam, who pegged Martinez as a realistic trade deadline addition on his podcast (“The Fenway Rundown”) with co-host Chris Cotillo.
Martinez was a favorite of the Red Sox and their fans for five seasons, earning four All-Star selections and slugging 48 homers with 130 RBI during Boston’s run to the 2018 World Series title. He established himself as a popular leader in the clubhouse and a mentor for the team’s young players.
He was an All-Star after leaving the Red Sox last season, hitting 33 homers with 103 RBI for the Dodgers. Now with the Mets, Martinez (who turns 37 in August) is batting .274 with a .358 on-base percentage and a .479 slugging percentage. He has 10 homers and 38 RBI for the Mets, who through July 11 were tied with the San Diego Padres for the third NL wild-card spot and are not quite certain whether they’ll buy or sell at the deadline.
Cotillo suggested that Blue Jays slugger Justin Turner, another former Red Sox, would be a sensible target. But McAdam predicted Martinez would be the target.
“I am going with another former slugger and a reunion, I would say it is more likely they get JD Martinez back than Justin Turner,” McAdam said. “Martinez has had the better year. Certainly, is the kind of guy that has a good influence on younger hitters, has played in Boston, knows the clubhouse. I am going with a different former DH coming back.”
Red Sox Trade Could Add Righty Bat
McAdam pointed out that the Red Sox do have a righthanded bat at the top of their needs list as the deadline approaches. Of the 10 players with the most plate appearances in the Red Sox lineup, seven are lefties, and only catcher Connor Wong, outfielder Tyler O’Neill and shortstop/centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela are righties.
DH would be an ideal spot to add a righty, because there should be plenty of available options and because the Red Sox’s current DH, Masataka Yoshida, has struggled with his power numbers this season. Yoshida is batting .265 this season, but has just four homers and seven doubles on the year.
Yoshida has shown signs of coming out of that funk, though. In his last 14 games, he has hit .346 and has three doubles and two homers, for a .519 slugging percentage.
Still, he could do with a platoon partner. Yoshida hits .304 on the season against righties, but just .146 when facing lefties. Martinez would be an ideal fit next to him.
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Red Sox Predicted to Trade for Reunion With Popular 6-Time All-Star