Red Sox Linked To White Sox In What Would Be An 'All-In' Trade Scenario
Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has received criticism for targeting diamonds in the rough over the big splashes. Will he use this deadline to change his perception?
If Bloom does make a notable swing at the upcoming trade deadline, he won't be thinking about himself, he'll be thinking about the 11-2 stretch the team is on heading into the most important stretch of the season.
The Athletic's Chad Jennings proposed an 'all-in' trade that would send prospects Nick Yorke, Wikelman Gonzalez and Ryan Fernandez to the Chicago White Sox for frontline starter Lucus Giolito and shortstop Tim Anderson.
Giolito will be one of the most enticing options for the Red Sox at the trade deadline. The 29-year-old has a 3.45 ERA, 117-to-34 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .223 batting average against and 1.14 WHIP in 112 1/3 innings across 19 starts this season.
Anderson on paper would "solve" the Red Sox's middle infield issues alongside the return of Trevor Story at some point in August -- but he's actually looked a lot more like Kiké Hernández this season than a two-time All-Star.
The 30-year-old has impressive career numbers but is hitting just .227 with 10 extra-base hits, 14 RBIs and a .530 OPS in 70 games. He's homer-less this season, ranks as a below-average middle infielder and has a -1.6 bWAR this season.
Anderson is a career .283 hitter with a .740 OPS and is under team control through 2024. He'd be an interesting buy-low candidate this winter but should not be traded for during a playoff run.
Jennings, for what it's worth, does not think Boston should make the deal either but wanted to pose a trade that made it clear that the club was going for it this season.
If the Red Sox can snag Giolito they would be a much better team but Anderson would just further clutter a middle infield full of underperformers.
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