Red Sox trade Aldo Ramirez for Kyle Schwarber
The 2021 trade deadline was just around the corner, and it was clear the Red Sox needed to do something. The AL East race was beginning to tighten up, and their rivals had already made critical moves to upgrade their offense. The Yankees had traded for sluggers Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo, while the Rays got one of the best designated hitters in the game in Nelson Cruz.
There were many bats on the market for the Red Sox to choose from, including former MVP Kris Bryant and All-Stars Javier Baez, Trea Turner and Starling Marte. Yet the man the Red Sox went after was a .230 hitter entering 2021 and nursing a serious hamstring injury at the time of the acquisition. Nobody could have expected just how much of an impact Kyle Schwarber would make.
Schwarber joined the Red Sox in mid-August, and transformed the Red Sox lineup with his power and patience. He slashed a phenomenal .291/.435/.522, working 33 walks in just 41 games. The slugger also played a major part in the Red Sox playoff run, homering three times including a grand slam before getting overmatched by the Astros in the ALCS.
The value the Red Sox got from this deal was enormous, especially considering how little they gave up to gave him. The only prospect they gave up in the deal was Aldo Ramirez, who had a 8.33 ERA after the deal and has yet to appear in a game this season.
If Schwarber was re-signed this past offseason, this deal would be an all-timer. But considering he departed for Philadelphia and the Red Sox got just half a season of Schwarber that didn’t end in a championship, this moves come in at just number four.