What a difference a month makes. Left for dead at the end of June and after losing two out of three to the Washington Nationals at home, the Boston Red Sox have turned things around, winning 18 of their last 20 games.
They went from the basement of the American League East Division and near the bottom of the AL wild-card race to sitting in the second wild-card spot after a 4-2 win over the Athletics on Monday night in West Sacramento.
Boston has shifted from a seller to a potential buyer at the deadline on Aug. 3. Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow already made a significant move ahead of the deadline. He traded left-handed pitcher Connelly Early to the Nationals for infielder Curtis Mead. He made his Red Sox debut on Monday night in California, but left after getting hit by a pitch.
However, despite making one move already, the Red Sox may not be done. They have been linked to shortstop Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angels. Getting a deal done might have its roadblocks, according to Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report.
Boston Red Sox Face Potential Roadblock in Zach Neto Trade
Reuter listed eight potential landing spots for Neto, with the Red Sox the top spot. It makes sense given the rumors as of late. However, getting a deal done might be easier said than done, according Reuter. Would Breslow make Franklin Arias available, the seventh-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline?
“Even if the Red Sox decide to make Franklin Arias untouchable, which is a very real possibility, they could conceivably build a package around Anthony Eyanson or Justin Gonzales to get a deal done. The question then becomes whether a team that is still only four games above .500 is willing to go all-in on the 2026 season,” wrote Reuter.
The Red Sox recently promoted Arias from Double-A to Triple-A Worcester, and he is not too far away from making his MLB debut. Will that be in Boston, Los Angeles, or somewhere else? According to Reuter, he might not have to be the centerpiece of a potential Neto deal.
Reuter mentioned Breslow building a trade package around Anthony Eyanson, the 49th-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline or Justin Gonzales. Breslow would have to figure out if Neto, who has three years of team control remaining, is worth the risk of trading Arias or any of his other top prospects.
Boston Red Sox Continue To Put Pressure on Craig Breslow
Thanks to a watered-down American League wild-card race, the Red Sox are heading toward being a postseason team. They still have visions of winning the AL East. That might be a bit of a tall task, but getting a wild-card spot is not something many thought was possible just a month ago.
A lot of what happens will depend on how serious Mead’s injury is. If it requires an injured list stint, then that could trigger another infield move. Boston could also just promote Arias. Regardless, the Red Sox rumors surrounding Neto won’t go away anytime soon before the trade deadline. How long can Boston survive an Anthony Seigler and Andruw Monasterio combination in the infield?
Boston Red Sox Listed as Top Trade Destination Spot for Highly-Coveted Infielder