Will the Red Sox need to make a mid-season trade for bullpen help?
Rick: They are always making a deal or two or three to shore up a weakness and with this team, it could be catcher or bullpen. My coin toss came up tails and that was the bullpen. They have – to use a political term – a lot of dough faces in that ‘pen.
Josh: Unknown though the Red Sox relievers may generally be, there is a lot of talent left in that bullpen, even without Craig Kimbrel. Matt Barnes took a big step last season and Ryan Brasier surprised everyone with a very solid season. Tyler Thornburg hasn’t had a great start to his Red Sox career but he still has all the potential the Sox saw when they traded for him. If Boston does need midseason help, it can call up Darwinzon Hernandez or Durbin Feltman, who will be chomping at the bit in the minors. Should we rule out a trade entirely? Of course not. However, the Red Sox will be fine with what they have.
Brendan: Yes. I don’t think there’s any doubt the there’s a huge hole in the back end of the bullpen. Last year the bridge between the 7th-8th innings were a struggle and after the departure of Joe Kelly, it will only get tougher. Let’s hope Ryan Brasier can continue his out-of-nowhere dominance.
Patrick: The Red Sox will need to make a trade. While I’m confident that Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier can take control in the 8th and 9th innings, the bridge to them is a concern. A 7th inning-assignment is a big ask for Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree and I doubt they will be up to the task. With only one top-100 prospect and so many key pieces at the Major League level, the Red Sox do not have many trade chips and will probably aim for a reliever on an expiring contract. Hector Rondon and Seunghwan Oh seem like viable options.
Rudi: Going forward, I can definitely see a trade for a bullpen guy being made. Right now, the pen is looking very thin – and even thinner if anybody gets hurt during the year. With the likes of Darwinzon Hernandez and co. in the minors, there’re plenty of internal options. However, we might need someone with a little more experience.
Hunter: I honestly don’t think the bullpen will be as much of a problem as people think with some of the arms in the minors. Bobby Poyner is legit. That being said, they’ll do it anyways. David Hernandez had a great year for the Cincinnati Reds last season. He’s 33 and on the last year of a cheap deal so if the Reds are out of the playoff race mid-season they could dump him for a decent return. Hernandez could be a great setup man for Barnes/Brasier
Evan: Everyone thought the Sox would make a trade at the deadline last year for a reliever. Everyone also thought the Sox would sign a reliever this offseason. They didn’t. After the failed acquisitions of Tyler Thornburg and Carson Smith, Dave Dombrowski seems intent not to be baited into a bad bullpen trade again. Should he make a trade for some bullpen help? Yes. Will he make a trade for some bullpen help? Don’t count on it.
Brian: I do think the Red Sox will need to make a trade for some kind of bullpen piece. I don’t think it will need to be in the back end of the bullpen because I think that will solidify itself as the season progresses. Guys like Matt Barnes and Ryan Braiser proved in the postseason that they can handle high leverage situations. A potential name I think the Red Sox will target is Will Smith from the San Francisco Giants. With 71 strikeouts and a 2.55 ERA last year, he is a name that I think will draw a lot of interest from the Red Sox come July.