Red Sox Reportedly Seeking Much-Needed Pitching Help At Trade Deadline
The Boston Red Sox currently stand at 36-35 through 70 games, good for last place in the loaded American League East and three games back of a Wild Card spot.
Boston will need these next stretch of games to determine whether they buy, sell or do a little bit of both -- which we saw last season. If they are able to hang around and decide to buy, it's pretty clear where they need to add. The pitching staff has been oft-injured and the starters have been largely unproductive.
To make matters worse, Chris Sale (shoulder) and now Tanner Houck (face fracture) are set to miss some time. However, Boston reportedly would be willing to replenish the staff if they do decide to buy. The Athletic's Jim Bowden reported that Boston's top target at the deadline will unsurprisingly be starting pitching.
"The Red Sox rotation ranks No. 24 in the majors in starting pitchers’ ERA; outside of Brayan Bello, they don’t have a pitcher with seven or more starts who has an ERA under 4.35; and it looks like Chris Sale could be done for the season because of a lingering shoulder injury," Bowden wrote Friday. "I’m told the Red Sox also have been shopping for relief help."
The best thing the Red Sox could do given their status as fringe contenders is to add help with multiple years of team control. Boston is not built to win now -- that's not to say they can't go on a run, but they appear to be a year or two away from a championship window.
Boston used this season to get under the luxury tax and further develop their young crop of talent, namely Houck, Garrett Whitlock, Bryan Bello and Triston Casas. They'll also be a year closer to the debuts of shortstop Marcelo Mayer, versatile infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, second baseman Nick Yorke and infielder Chase Meidroth.
If the Red Sox can hang around the .500 mark, they should attempt to add but should almost exclusively be seeking players with multiple years of team control.
The relievers that jump to mind are Cinncinati Reds closer Alexis Díaz (1.86 ERA, team control through 2027), Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar (1.78 ERA, team control through 2026), Miami Marlins' Tanner Scott (2.91 ERA, team control through 2024), Seattle Mariners' Paul Sewald (2.76 ERA, team control through 2024), Colorado Rockies' Brad Hand (3.46 ERA, club option for 2024) Los Angeles Angels' Jaime Barría (2.28 ERA, team control through 2025) and Washington Nationals' Hunter Harvey (3.34 ERA, team control through 2025).
The starting pitching market will be much harder to decipher but a dream acquisition would be Cleveland Guardians ace Shane Bieber, who reportedly could be cheaper than most anticipated.
More MLB: Red Sox Reportedly 'Hunting' For Middle Infield Help, Linked To Former All-Star
