Red Sox-Cole Ragans Buzz Starts Again After Alex Bregman Miss

The Boston Red Sox need a bit more firepower but options are starting to come off the board left and right.

Alex Bregman was the most seamless option on the board for the Red Sox in free agency, but he's taken. The Chicago Cubs handed him a five-year, $175 million deal. Things around the league are starting to pick up. The Arizona Diamondbacks had Ketel Marte on the trade block, but that isn't the case any longer. The Diamondbacks actually made a deal of their own on Tuesday and acquired one-time rumored Boston target Nolan Arenado from the St. Louis Cardinals.

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On Monday, current rumored Boston target Bo Bichette met with the Philadelphia Phillies, although no deal has been agreed to yet. Reports surfaced on Tuesday that the New York Mets have a short-term offer on the table for Kyle Tucker worth $50 million annually, per FanSided's Robert Murray.

Boston needs to get moving

All of this is to say that the market is moving and Boston needs to get moving. MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam gave an update on Boston's pursuits and noted that the club is "well-positioned" to land a pitcher on the trade block and specifically mentioned that they could afford to include Jarren Duran or Ceddanne Rafaela in a deal. Also, the duo noted that the Kansas City Royals have been "reluctant" to trade Cole Ragans, but it could change if Boston makes a better offer.

"The Red Sox also may be well-positioned to pry a pitcher loose via trade," McAdam and Cotillo wrote. "Though chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Saturday at Fenway Fest that he expected to retain his four everyday-caliber outfielders for the start of the season, that forecast came hours before the Bregman news. In particular, the Red Sox could afford to include either Jarren Duran or Ceddanne Rafaela, plus a highly-regarded pitching prospect in exchange for a front-line starter, one who profiles as a legitimate front-of-the-rotation arm.

"To this point, the Royals have been reluctant to discuss Cole Ragans in such a proposal, but that could change if the package was enhanced. There’s also Minnesota’s Joe Ryan, a target of the Red Sox dating back to last July, and Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta, who would be a rental. Washington’s MacKenzie Gore, Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller, and Miami’s Sandy Alcantara all remain trade candidates as well."

Boston needs to do something. The Red Sox need offense so trading an important piece like Duran or Rafaela would make that need even bigger, although it could help the rotation. Boston is at a crossroads, it seems like. Bichette is now the cleanest fit for the organization, but fans should keep a close eye on the trade block now, too.

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