Red Sox: 3 players that could be moved before the Trade Deadline
The Red Sox could wheel and deal their way to a World Series
If we’ve learned one thing during Chaim Bloom’s tenure with the Red Sox it’s that he’s a damn wizard when it comes to the trade market. The Boston boss has fleeced more teams since getting here than anyone in history. As it stands right now, we have a heavy mix of pending free agents and players without defined roles that could be wearing new jerseys in 2022.
Had things gone differently in 2021 I wouldn’t already be looking toward the Trade Deadline but with the World Series so close, I think Chaim is going to pull the trigger. So far we’ve seen him move soon to be free agents, guys who just aren’t performing, and prospects who could net an even better return. He’s here to win and won’t lose a second of sleep over moving a player to better the lineup.
While the Red Sox have their needs, they also have some logjams at certain positions that could force some of our current favorites out the door in order to make room for some better components. I took a glance at our future free agents, as well as, the depth chart, and believe that the following three players could be on the move.
Red Sox 1B: Bobby Dalbec
So the first player on my list is none other than Bobby Dalbec. To some, this may seem like an odd choice but in my eyes, it could be the perfect Chaim Bloom move. Moving Dalbec hinges on two pieces to the puzzle falling into place, the re-signing of Kyle Schwarber and the progression of Triston Casas. Those two points linking up will most likely spell the end of Bob’s time in Boston.
I just want to say that I’m a big Bobby D fan and the young Red Sox infielder has given us some great moments so far in his career, but he can also be extremely frustrating to watch. When he’s in the field I rarely worry about his decision-making and defense. But when he gets into the batter’s box my blood pressure usually spikes.
Bob has light-tower power and can send a ball to the moon with the best of ’em, but he also loves swinging and missing a whole lot. In 2021, he posted a .240/.298/.494 line with 25 bombs and 78 RBI, pretty damn good stuff.
When you take a look at some of the advanced numbers though things don’t look as pretty. Dalbec struck out 34.4% of the time while walking just 6.2% of his at-bats. That breaks down to a 156/28 K/BB ratio in 453 plate appearances.
The first baseman won’t hit arbitration until 2024 and free agency until 2027. A young slugger with good defense and lots of team control would be the perfect trade piece for a guy like Chaim. As much as I’d love to keep Bobby here, I trust Schwarber a lot more and believe Casas is a franchise player.
Red Sox C: Kevin Plawecki
This one hurts as it’s pretty clear that Kevin Plawecki is one of the biggest glue pieces for this team. It was his love of Calum Scott’s cover of “Dancing on my Own,” that fueled the Red Sox to within two games of the World Series. He’s also proven to be a phenomenal player off of the bench and whenever he gets subbed in it feels like he makes the most of the opportunity.
That being said, the soon-to-be 31-year-old catcher will be a free agent after this season and could fetch some prospects in return for his services. His tenure in Boston has seen him have two of the best seasons of his career and with things on an uptick, the interest could be there for him.
I’ll admit that I was going back and forth between Plawecki and Christian Vázquez as it feels like one of them will get moved. Due to the $7M payday Vazqy just got from the Red Sox I doubt he’d be the one to get the call. Bloom is a bit of a madman though and he very well could flip Vázquez and retain Plawecki as the veteran with Connor Wong and Ronaldo Hernandez next in line.
Big Pleck has quickly become one of my favorite players on this squad and I’d hate to see him go. Unfortunately for him, free agency is looming after this year and with some good young prospects behind him in the depth chart, he could see himself as the odd man out in the long run.
Red Sox RP: Matt Barnes
Yes, I know, the Red Sox need to be beefing up their bullpen not weakening it, but this one feels pretty realistic. Matt Barnes has been in the big leagues since 2014 and is a one-time All-Star and a World Series champion. He’s also one of the most inconsistent pitchers we have on the roster as you never know what Matty B you’re going to get that night.
I will say, he’s been the foundation and the workhorse of the Red Sox bullpen for a long time now and most certainly deserved the contract extension he received. The problem is that almost automatically after signing that deal his 2021 went right down the tubes. He was supposed to be the closer for Boston going forward and he dominated in that role until the All-Star break.
Once we got to the second half of the season the train went off the tracks and Barnes was all over the place. Gone was the attacking game plan and in its place was the cutesy game of cat and mouse that we’d seen before. I don’t think his extension will get in the way of Bloom trading him if he can get pieces in return that will help this team win.
If he had a set role, and I’ve said this countless times, he’d be one of the best pitchers in the game. Unfortunately, his spot in the game seems to get changed pretty frequently which I’m sure doesn’t help with his routine and mentality. Matty Backpacks has a nasty curve and a missile of a fastball and if they’re firing on all cylinders you can’t hit him.
While I wouldn’t be thrilled to see the bullpen get weaker, Barnes is a strong enough trade piece that Chaim could rob another team without trying.
The Red Sox Trading Outlook
Obviously, these are all hypothetical scenarios and if Red Sox Nation knows anything, nobody is safe when the Trade Deadline looms. There’s a laundry list of guys who will be free agents when this upcoming season concludes and depending on the standings any number of them could be playing elsewhere.
With how well 2021 went I have all the faith in the world in Chaim and Alex Cora to bring this team back to the Postseason. Bringing in new faces at the Deadline can give a team that extra infusion of energy to finish out the campaign strong. Look no further than how Boston reacted once Schwarber got into the lineup.
Anyone and everyone can be traded as long as there isn’t that pesky clause in their contract. Hell, depending on how the season is playing out we could see guys like J.D. Martinez, Nathan Eovaldi, or Kiké Hernández on the move as they’re all set to walk next winter. I don’t see Bloom getting rid of his key pieces this early but things could be very different by July.
The Red Sox should have much more respect on their names when spring training rolls around in 2022. I fully believe they’ll contend once again in the division and should be back in the playoffs vying for another World Series crown. It’ll all come down to how Chaim builds his roster once the lockout ends and it could mean much more wheeling and dealing than writing checks.
Next. Nick Castellanos should be a Red Sox target. dark