Red Sox: Five players that can be traded to improve the roster

The Boston Red Sox are stuck in third place with no change in sight. With the Trade Deadline approaching, they need to make moves to better their roster.

At 34-33 on the season, the Boston Red Sox are a shadow of their former selves. Much of the team that raised the Commissioner’s Trophy in October remain on this roster but the results have been much different. With each passing game, the time to improve the team and make a run to the postseason is slipping away.

The biggest issue that is holding Boston back from reaching their potential is the pitching. Yes, the lack of runs can be frustrating at times but for the season their Runs Scored is in the top 5 of the MLB. The problem lies with the pitching that has been allowing nearly just as many runs cross the plate.

So to me, the big focus as the trade deadline approaches needs to be placed on the bullpen and trying to plug the holes in the ship. There aren’t many options in the farm system as the Red Sox have depleted a lot of prospects over the years or have already tapped into them on the main roster.

There are pieces that can be moved between the main roster and minors especially when it comes to deals expiring at the end of this season. So who can the Red Sox part with, in attempts to strengthen the overall roster?

#5: Eduardo Nunez

Eduardo Nunez has been a key part of the Red Sox lineup for the last few years. He has been a good component for Alex Cora to call upon in the wake of Dustin Pedroia being unable to play. He’s also become a shot of lightning when he has to come off the bench as a pinch-hitter.

Nuni is only 31 years old so in the grand scheme of life, he is still very young. But with youth surrounding him in the infield with Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and Michael Chavis, there just isn’t much room for him. He is a great ambassador and mentor for the younger players but if the Red Sox want to remain in contender status for the years to come they have to get younger.

Nunez is set to become a free agent at the conclusion of this season and this is a key reason why I feel he can be part of a trade package. He offers great skill both at the plate and in the field as well as speed on the base paths. Nuni can be a bit overaggressive on the bases and will occasionally swing at an awful pitch but his pros far outweigh his cons.

He’d basically be a hired gun for a team that may be in need of a strong pinch hitter or veteran infielder as his contract expires come the 2020 season. Nunez can offer a lot to a team that would benefit from his services. I don’t think he could be a standalone trade piece but for sure could be used to bolster a package deal.

#4: Steve Pearce

The reigning World Series MVP has had a rough go of it in 2019. Of the names I’ll be talking about Steve Pearce is probably going to be the least likely to move due to his poor season so far. For much of this season, he has been on the IL and that’s where he currently sits. So while he’s on the shelf he can’t be moved but it doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a shot once he’s back to being healthy.

He is going to be someone that is hard to be moved again due to the injury issues that he has had this season. He’s also 36 years old and has a lot of miles on his body. But when Pearce is on he is lights-out and can be a stone cold killer at the plate.

A veteran player is something most teams can always add to their roster but the current Red Sox are in a surplus of them. Though Pearce can play in the outfield he is primarily used at first base. There is a logjam there right now with fellow veteran Mitch Moreland and Chavis also finding their home there. So there aren’t many spots on the current Sox roster for Pearce when he does return from the IL.

Pearce just like Nuni will be a free agent when this season concludes so he will most likely be looking for a new home. If I’m Dave Dombrowski, I’m trying to get something for Pearce before I lose him for nothing. Again much like Nunez, he isn’t appealing as a solo trade piece but if he’s built into a package he can become more enticing.

#3: Tzu-Wei Lin

Now that we’ve gone over some of the veteran players I’m going to dig into the bag of prospects. Tzu-Wei Lin is the first prospect that I’ll be offering up on the trade block. He offers a great mix of still being young as he is only 25 but still having major league experience.

The Red Sox signed Lin as an amateur free agent in 2012 and he made his MLB debut in 2017. He has made numerous appearances for the main club this season as well as part of the Pedroia recovery plan. He has been on the IL recently however due to a sprained knee. He is incredibly versatile though as he can play at second, short, or third if called upon.

Of the names I’ve mentioned so far, Lin may not be the most known or most desired but he truly could improve another team as well as getting the Red Sox pieces in return. With being so young he has plenty of years ahead of him if another team did want to work out a new deal with him post-trade.

Lin is a career .248 hitter which isn’t anything to sneeze at by any means. He also could benefit from an everyday role with a club that will allow him to improve and get the rips in that he needs. He is the first of the names that I think could be used as a solo trade offering for maybe a relief pitcher or some younger prospects.

#2: Sam Travis

Sam Travis is very similar to Lin in that he has plenty of years ahead of him and also has experience at the MLB level. He is a part of the current main roster and has been getting in reps at first base along with Chavis. Though he is primarily a first baseman he can also play left field if the team needs him to.

Travis came to the Red Sox in the 2014 draft and made his MLB debut in 2017. He was called up this season as the number of injuries began to pile up. Once it was clear that Pedroia wouldn’t be back any time soon, then Moreland and Pearce went down it was Travis that got the call.

Sam is versatile and has shown that his defense is something to be desired by teams that could use his talents. Last night alone he made two great line drive snags against the Rangers. He has great reflexes and instincts to be in the right place at the right time.

At the plate he can be a bit of a head scratcher as some days he seems keyed in and others he couldn’t hit a beach ball. But I think just like in the case of Lin that if he were to get every day reps against major league quality pitching, he can improve. Right now he’s batting a lowly .182 with a single RBI and 5 K’s. Not the hottest asset at the plate but if he can get in the work it can always improve.

I think he’d need to be a part of a package as his upside isn’t as bright as some of the other younger members of the roster.