Red Sox May Cut Ties With 7-Time All-Star At Trade Deadline, Per MLB Experts

The next month could go any direction

May 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A bag of baseballs sits on the diamond before a game against between the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Trying to decipher what the Boston Red Sox will do at the trade deadline is nearly impossible in the wake of the Rafael Devers trade.

On one hand, the Devers deal was such a unique situation, driven mostly by strife within the organization, that it's hard to project any other major departures. But to say that those departures can't or won't happen regardless of where Boston is in the standings would be foolhardy.

Clearly, losing Devers makes the Red Sox a worse team for the moment. That might change if Boston uses some of the money they saved on his contract to acquire some impact players at the deadline. But there could easily be more impact players (and money) headed out the door.

One such player is closer Aroldis Chapman, who has been lights-out this season and would net the Red Sox a nice return if they chose to move on from him this summer. The seven-time All-Star owns an ERA of 1.45 in 34 appearances, converting 13 of his 14 save opportunities.

In a recent trade deadline preview, Tim Britton, Aaron Gleeman, and Eno Sarris of The Athletic named Chapman as the 16th-best trade chip on their "big board," speculating that there was at least a decent chance the left-hander gets dealt.

"Chapman’s fastball still regularly hits triple digits at age 37 and he continues to be one of the league’s most dominant relievers, with the added wrinkle that he’s working in the strike zone more than ever," the authors wrote.

"He’s capable of dramatically altering a contender’s bullpen as a setup man or a closer. And this is nothing new for Chapman, who was traded during the season in 2016 and 2023, winning the World Series with his new team in both years."

Losing Chapman would deal another blow to the 39-37 Red Sox's hopes of a playoff berth. But the returns on relievers were staggering at last year's deadline, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow might consider them too good to pass up.

But ironically, with each game Chapman saves, the Red Sox might still get closer to keeping him around, because Devers trade aside, the goal this season has always been October.

More MLB: Ex-Red Sox Superstar Gets Bold Declaration From Braves GM On Trade Deadline Fate