Red Sox Rumors: Dave Dombrowski addresses trade deadline plan

Boston Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski discusses his plan for approaching the MLB trade deadline.

Fans are frustrated with the uneven start to this season by the Boston Red Sox. The team came out flat from spring training and has clear holes, preventing them from reaching the heights we saw last year when they plowed through the competition on their way to a World Series title. Dave Dombrowski hears the outcry from the fan base and plans to address it when the time comes.

The MLB trade deadline is over a month away and Dombrowski will use that time to evaluate the team’s needs and the market. He’s never been shy about striking a deal but it has to be the right deal.

According to Masslive’com’s Chris Cotillo, Dombrowski is always open to improving if the right opportunity becomes available.

"“If we are in a position to win– and I still believe we will have a chance to do that– we’ll be aggressive in that regard.”"

Social media is flooded with the backlash of fans disgusted by Dombrowski’s lack of activity in correcting the team’s flaws. Some have gone as far as to call for the president of baseball operations to be fired! That sentiment shows a baffling level of ignorance about how the process works. Seriously, you want to get rid of the guy who helped build a roster that won a championship LAST YEAR?!

Granted, this is only a small portion of the fan base, albeit a very vocal one. Most fans are more realistic yet still eager to find out Dombrowski’s plan.

The bullpen is a clear need, as the closer by committee approach predictably hasn’t worked out. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a top-notch closer but a reliever capable of handling high-leverage situations is a role the Red Sox desperately need to fill.

Great, so go get a proven late-inning reliever. Easy, right? Well, not so much. Only a few teams in each league are at the point where a Wild Card spot seems out of reach. Sellers aren’t inclined to come to the market yet and those who might be ready to waive the white flag on this season don’t necessarily have what the Red Sox need.

Scour the bottom-feeders of the league who appear destined to be deadline sellers and find a pitcher on their roster who the Red Sox would want as their closer or a lock-down setup man. Now determine if it’s a player that team is willing to part with. Rebuilding teams aren’t going to sell off every valuable asset simply because they can’t win this year. Boston also has to keep the luxury tax in mind since they are adamant about staying out of the deepest territory of penalties. Therefore, any trade they make can’t bring back a significant amount of salary. Oh, they also don’t have much to offer because they have one of the weakest farm systems in baseball.

The Red Sox need a talented back of the bullpen arm but they can’t afford to pay much for it. Every other contender is looking to add the same thing and there are few sellers willing to offer it. Hmm, sounds like this GM gig is a bit harder than some people appear to realize.

That doesn’t mean Dombrowski will do nothing. We saw him make moves to acquire Steve Pearce and Nathan Eovaldi last season. Neither was viewed as a splashy move at the time yet both proved vital to winning the World Series.

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Dombrowski also needs more time to evaluate his internal options, which he seems to view in higher regard than those outside the organization. The impending returns of Steven Wright and Brian Johnson won’t solve the late-inning dilemma but they can strengthen the overall bullpen. Both are capable spot starters, or at least an improvement over the options Boston has been running out there to fill the void until Eovaldi returns from injury.

The Red Sox have given opportunities to pitchers from their minor league system hoping someone will stick. Perhaps that’s Mike Shawaryn, who has been brilliant in four appearances (1 earned run over 8 1/3 innings). Darwinzon Hernandez has flashed immense upside but struggles with control. Could he harness his talent more in shorter stints out of the bullpen? His value is higher long-term as a starter but the Red Sox could think about using him as a reliever late in the season to limit his workload.

The Red Sox are loaded with talent so they don’t need to do anything drastic, despite what the social media noise might lead you to believe. Losing Mitch Moreland to a quad injury for a couple weeks doesn’t mean you need to trade for Edwin Encarnacion simply because he might be available. You don’t need to make a blockbuster deal for a starting pitcher if you still expect Eovaldi to contribute this season.

Next. Red Sox potential trade targets. dark

A tweak here or there with an emphasis on relief pitching is all the Red Sox need. They are only a game out of a playoff spot and have a roster built to win in October if they can make it there healthy. So relax, Red Sox Nation. Dave Dombrowski is aware that there is work to be done and he plans to address it. Just not yet.

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