Underwhelming performances around the American League mean the 27-36 Boston Red Sox aren't dead in the water yet. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow seems hell-bent on buying ahead of the upcoming trade deadline, but Boston's play doesn't really reflect that of a buyer — it's been three-to-four games out of a Wild Card spot for weeks.
The Red Sox's stagnant position towards the bottom of the AL has already led to trade deadline speculation around the team, mostly the bullpen, which has posted a 3.16 ERA this season, tied for the third-best in MLB. Legendary closer Aroldis Chapman has garnered plenty of trade interest since his career resurgence in Boston and MLB insider Bob Nightengale is certain he'll be moved.
"Aroldis Chapman is expected to join his eighth different team, and potentially be in the postseason with his sixth different team. He is the top reliever available on every contender’s target list, converting 28 consecutive saves dating back to last season, one shy of his career record," Nightengale wrote on June 6.
Local reporters aren't as certain that Boston will trade Chapman this season. Rob Bradford of WEEI reported shortly after Nightengale's story that the Red Sox have been declining any trade offers for Chapman, Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten.
Rumors are already flying about Aroldis Chapman's future with the Red Sox with trade deadline two months away
Breslow has attested that he still sees the Red Sox as a playoff-caliber team and has even telegraphed plans to buy at the trade deadline (whether he believes what he's said or if he's scrambling to save his job is worthy of debate). If Boston is going to make a playoff push, Chapman will play an integral part. Since the offense has struggled so much, it needs every late-inning advantage it can get.
Chapman also has a conditional-mutual option on his contract that triggers if he pitches at least 40 innings this season. Mutual options are rarely exercised, but Chapman signed an extension with Boston late last season and opted to pass on free agency — the Red Sox seemed to be headed in a better direction this time last year compared to now, but if Chapman likes Boston that much, he could want to stick around another year.
At the same time, this year's will be a sellers market, given the close competition in the AL. If the Red Sox were to put Chapman on the trade block, they could get a haul for him, as somehow, he's hit the prime of his career at 38 years old (0.46 ERA, 26 strikeouts, 13 saves on 13 opportunities over 19.2 innings).
The Red Sox have under two months before the trade deadline to either establish themselves enough to justify keeping Chapman or to find a suitor with a good enough trade package (and it should be good) to deal him away.
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