With the rumor mill swirling after Sam Kennedy’s trade comments last week, is there actually anyone untouchable on the Red Sox? Or will the team go in a full rebuild mode?
While it would be truly tough to move some of the players on the team, does Red Sox ownership really want to trade some of the best young talent they have had in years?
Let’s face it: the homegrown talent of Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Brock Holt, and Michael Chavis has been a bright spot in a farm system that lacks solid developmental coaching. While the Red Sox usually gain talent via trades and free agency, Bogaerts (six years remaining) Devers (two years of arbitration) and Chavis (four-plus years) can still blossom and help the club become a powerhouse again.
Even without their best-grown talent ever in Mookie Betts, the presence of Alex Verdugo, Bobby Dalbec, Jeter Downs, Tristan Casas, and Brian Mata at the major league level will platoon this team to contenders for years to come.
So, should ownership stand pat?
There are some pieces the team needs to improve, and pitching should be the No. 1 priority. With Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez sidelined for the season, the constant call-ups and waiver wire pickups simply won’t get the job done. A trade for a quality starter should be the first move at the trade deadline.
With ownership neglecting the bullpen and back-end of the rotation for years, they simply cannot avoid this problem any longer. Before anybody even thinks about trading Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, or both, they must understand the implications that would follow just a move.
The first and most major difficulty is money. This is what held up the Betts trade involving David Price. Bogaerts did sign a team-friendly contract extension last spring (seven years, $132 million), which is a huge bargain considering he is one of the best shortstops in all of baseball. The team would still have to eat or take on a similar salary to make any trade work. Plus, can you imagine how much backlash ownership would feel? They are simply not in a dire situation to make such a foolish move.
With all of this said, they are playing very badly. Their holes are simply too mighty to just fill in. Call this a down year, collect your top draft pick, draft wisely, use your financial freedom to sign good pitching, and get healthy. That should be the best move forward if ownership wants to win next year.
So before ownership puts their foot in their mouth again, listen to the fans. They help keep your organization afloat.
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3 Responses
Okay, What did the article say? Nothing. No trade situations. Worthless generalities. The two biggest questions are JDM gone, and the Red Sox will trade a significant piece. Pillar, Bradley, Workman are guaranteed to be gone as a rental. Maybe Mooreland, Brewer, Hembree, Barnes. The Red Sox have few valuable trade chips without taking from their core. Only JDM will gain anything good. A trade pack Pillar or Mooreland+Workman+Barnes would get a decent pitching prospect. Bradley would be a salary dump.