The Boston Red Sox got the trade deadline started on July 25 with their late-night, unexpected trade for Curtis Mead. Multiple reports suggest Boston isn't done adding — there's still a chance it lands a shortstop or catcher and some relief help.
The Red Sox know three players they won't be trading for: Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña. In the days since the Mead trade, these three Boston targets have officially come off the market in one way or another.
Langeliers on July 24 suffered an injury while running the bases and later tests revealed that he had torn his meniscus. The A's placed him on the injured list on July 25 and two days later announced that he will undergo season-ending surgery to repair the injury.
The catcher's injury takes him off the trade block, which is a disappointment for many contending teams looking for catchers, such as the Red Sox and New York Yankees. Not only will Langeliers be out of commission for the rest of the season, but the A's won't take the risk of trading him now while his value is low since he has a long recovery in front of him.
Langeliers isn't the only popular catcher candidate removed from the market. MLB insider Bob Nightengale on July 26 listed the many Rockies players who have been made available ahead of August 3 and Goodman is not among them.
Red Sox trade deadline targets Shea Langeliers, Hunter Goodman and Jeremy Peña all off the market for various reasons
Goodman would be an excellent addition to Boston's lineup for years to come, since Connor Wong has been offensively inconsistent in his career and Carlos Narváez has regressed since the first half of last season. Goodman's .260/.331/.557 slash line, 31 home runs and elite 30.2 pull AIR percentage would've made him one of the best additions the Sox could pursue this deadline. Unfortunately, it isn't meant to be.
The Red Sox have been named a fit for Peña multiple times — even while the Astros are still in the Wild Card chase. That hasn't stopped Boston from inquiring about the shortstop. According to Ari Alexander of 7News WHDH, the Red Sox have approached the Astros about trading for Peña but it was swiftly dismissed.
Houston is being assessed as a buyer by the rest of the league. Before the start of games on July 27, the Astros had the same 52-54 record as the Seattle Mariners and both teams sit two games out of a Wild Card spot. Peña is on an expiring contract and his 11 home runs and 30 RBI (through 59 games) would've been a welcome boost to Boston's shortstop production, but the Astros are pushing for the playoffs before the near-certain lockout next season.
The Red Sox made a move and landed Mead while they had the chance and the decision looks better by the day as more top trade candidates fall off the market. Langeliers and Goodman would've been preferable long-term additions to Mead, but since neither is a possibility, the Red Sox improved in a different way.
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