Sports Summit KICKOFF || The Red Sox and the Trade Deadline with Andrew Steele.

Edition #125

INTRO:

WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME TO THE SPORTS SUMMIT!

I guess this is a month late as the summit is supposed to be every quarter, but… okay…

One of the most interesting teams this season has been the Boston Red Sox. Never would anyone have thought that this team would be able to make a push towards the playoffs, especially with all their weaknesses. But…

They are pushing towards the playoffs.

Andrew Steele is one heck of a sports writer. I welcome him today for the firsr post of the Sports Summit. We’re going to be talking about the Red Sox’s weakness and what they need to do at the trade deadline.

THE RED SOX AND THE TRADE DEADLINE

Andrew: First and foremost, the Red Sox have exceeded all expectations so far in 2024. They were meant to be a hot mess heading into the year. Instead, they have been one hell of a fun team to watch. At the time of writing this, they are a game back of the third Wild Card spot in the American League. They were one of the hottest teams in all of baseball heading into the All-Star break, prior to being swept by the Dodgers to start the second half of the season. They had lost just one series since May 30 before being swept by the Dodgers. Granted, the Sox are 2-6 since the All-Star break, but this is still a fun team to watch, they are athletic, they can mash and they have an MVP contender in Jarren Duran. 

Now, no team is perfect and the Red Sox have their flaws. I have no idea if the front office believed the team was going to be this competitive this year, but I still think it was a major mistake not bringing back Justin Turner, who is still a very productive player and offers a boatload of veteran leadership on the field and in the clubhouse. That said, the obvious areas of needs are pitching and a right-handed bat. The Red Sox need rotation and bullpen help, while a proven right-handed bat to insert into that lineup is also a must. Boston struggles to hit against left-handed pitching (team slashline of .252/.329/.405/.734 vs. lefties this year) and, if reaching the postseason is the goal, then improving that in the second half will be key. 

It is important to note that, at the time of writing this, the Sox have made some notable additions. They acquired veteran starter James Paxton from the Dodgers, before sending three prospects to the Blue Jays for catcher Danny Jansen. However, with the trade deadline on Tuesday, it is clear that Boston isn’t done shopping yet. 

Smayan:

I definitely agree, and with you talking about hitting right now, let me talk about some pitching, and the one reliever that I think is definitely on the market is Tanner Scott. He’s on the Marlins, who traded Luis Arraez, which obviously put them on sell watch. Another excellent player on this Marlins squad, Jazz Chisholm, is clearly leaving, and Tanner Scott is "near-lock to be traded by the Marlins," per MLB.com. He’ll fetch the Marlins a lot, especially with how well he’s done this year. A 1.29 ERA and 16 saves statline isn’t going to be cheap, whatever team this player is on. Scott is also an impending free agent, so he’s definitely going to be traded. 

Daniel Hudson, current Dodgers pitcher, might not exactly be on the market, but if the Dodgers are willing to trade him, that’s a good pitcher who you might not have to trade so many assets for.

Andrew. What do you think about that?

Andrew: Pretty much every contending team needs bullpen help, and even those teams in the race for a Wild Card spot also require relievers. Look at the Mets, who are currently in sole possession of the third Wild Card berth in the National League. Their biggest need by far is the bullpen. They also need a starter after losing ace Kodai Senga for the year. As a result, the demand and the price for relievers and starters - even mid-level starters - is going to be skyscraper-high. Tanner Scott would be a good fit, but he’s going to be in demand. That will drive up the price and I can’t see the Red Sox giving up a lot of prospect capital for a pure rental. You need to look at the bigger picture and Boston aren’t willing to part with any of their top three prospects. That would also take them out of the running for Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and White Sox star Garrett Crochet. 

On the flipside, the Red Sox do need a high-leverage lefty arm in the bullpen. Scott has held left-handed batters to a .077 batting average this year. Plus, while Liam Hendriks is expected to return down the stretch, you can’t be sure how productive he will be coming off of Tommy John Surgery. Scott would be a good fit for Boston, but only at the right price. 

After blowing multiple late leads in an 11-8 loss to the Yankees on Saturday, it is clear that the Red Sox need notable bullpen help. Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network, Boston is one of a number of teams kicking the tires on Angels right-handed reliever Luis García. García, who has three saves and a 3.80 ERA this year, would certainly bolster that bullpen. 

When it comes to all things Red Sox, I always defer to my good friend Chris Cotillo, who does an excellent job of covering the Sox for MassLive.Com. He’s the best that there is.

Taking Chris’ lead, I wouldn’t expect any groundbreaking additions. That’s just my personal opinion. Instead, I think more less-heralded players will be the path the front office decides to head down. White Sox RHP Erick Fedde is 7-4 with a 3.11 ERA this year and is under team control through 2025 with a manageable annual salary of $7.5 million. Alternatively, LHP Tyler Anderson of the Angels could also be a good fit. He owns a 2.96 ERA and can eat innings. In an ideal world, Chris Bassitt would be a perfect fit for the Boston rotation. He’s a veteran who has pitched in big markets before, plus he can eat innings for fun. However, I don’t see the Blue Jays trading to a divisional rival. Bassitt’s price would also be lofty too. 

Smayan:

It would be funny if Chris Bassitt was on the Red Sox. Tyler Anderson is a great choice. I loved him in his Dodgers days and he’s certainly one of my favorite lefties. I just don’t see the Angels trading him away regardless of what kind of package the Red Sox give him. 

I would now like to talk about the other thing you talked about, Andrew. The need for a right-handed bat.

There are a few on the market that can fill the hole they have at first base, replacing Dominic Smith. He’s not doing very well, with a .232 average on the season, and even if he’s trending upwards, I still don’t see him filling the position as well as another person can.

There's Yandy Diaz, but with the Rays being a divisional opponent and with him being a part of the Rays core, I don't see him leaving. Instead, Andrew Vaughn, a first baseman for the White Sox, may be the choice. He’s batting one average point higher, but the Red Sox may be betting on him for a fresh start with them.

If it were Vaughn they traded for, Dom Smith would obviously go, but since the White Sox are in rebuild mode, the Red Sox may have to exchange one prospect. I don't see the White Sox asking any more than that.

How about that, Andrew?

Andrew: Look, firstly, as I mentioned with the Blue Jays above, I can’t see the Rays trading within the division. With Triston Casas set to return at some point, I just don’t think there is much urgency to go out and acquire a first baseman. Especially as they would have to give up notable assets for someone like Andrew Vaughn. Instead, I defer to my friend Chris Cotillo once more. Per Cotillo, the Red Sox are seeking a right-handed hitter, one who can play multiple positions. According to Chris, Angels utility player Luis Rengifo is one such target. Rengifo, who can play a number of positions in the infield, is hitting .304/.347/.426/.773. And, despite having not played since July 3 with a wrist injury, Rengifo still ranks third in the AL with 23 stolen bases. He’s also under contract through the 2025 season. Given Rengifo’s versatility, I can still see the Red Sox being interested despite having already acquired a righty bat in Danny Jansen from Toronto. Jansen is a catcher and a DH, so adding a player like Rengifo too would add a different dynamic to that lineup. 

Conclusion:

Andrew:

To conclude, I think the Red Sox still need to add a couple of more pieces at the deadline. They are one game back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League, and this current group deserves an injection of help at the trade deadline. That didn’t happen last year, and you can tell that it didn’t go down well with the veterans. However, with a new front office in place, there is an opportunity to send a real clear message to the players currently in the clubhouse by going out and bolstering the pitching and adding a proven righty bat that can do some damage in the middle of the lineup. This Red Sox team has surpassed all expectations and have been an incredibly fun team to watch in the process, and the front office should be loading up rather than standing pat or selling off pieces. In baseball, as in life, you have to recalibrate as you go and the Boston Red Sox have proven they are a team that could make some noise in the playoffs. Now the front office needs to do their part by being active at the trade deadline, even if it would be foolish to expect them to go big bear hunting. 

Smayan:

There are always teams that, surprisingly but unsurprisingly, make the playoffs. At least some of us could predict them. I don’t think anyone would’ve thought that the Red Sox would’ve been this team. There are still 25 teams that can actually compete in the playoffs this season. It’s a dream run for this team, and I hope it stays alive. The front office is trending towards a direction of buying and the more they buy, the more they can achieve.

That ends the piece. Thanks for coming on to talk some Red Sox with me, Andrew, and thank you for reading this one. See y’all later.