Chiam Bloom was lambasted for his unimpressive trade deadline performances with the Boston Red Sox. Craig Breslow seems determined not to make the same mistakes.
Boston's new chief baseball officer has shared the additions he hopes to make — a short-term shortstop and a starting pitcher — and the players that may be traded. The Sox's entire deadline strategy hasn't been shared, but some experts have theorized they may both buy and sell.
Boston has several players who will be free agents at the end of the season, and it would be in the front office's best interest to pursue a return for those players. Regardless of the quality of their season in a Red Sox uniform, setting the team up for the future often takes priority in the eyes of the operations people in charge.
That means we can expect plenty of guys headed out the door. Who will they be?
3 Red Sox players who won't survive roster past the trade deadline
Kenley Jansen
The Red Sox tried to trade Kenley Jansen over the winter without success — the veteran closer was healing from lat issues and struggled with his command at the beginning of the season. But at the halfway point, Jansen has turned himself into a prime target for bullpens in need of late-inning help.
Jansen has pitched to a 2.22 ERA in 28.1 innings for Boston. He hasn't allowed a run or issued a walk in his last seven outings. He's heated up alongside the Red Sox's bats and has helped lock down their hot June stretch.
Despite his recent success, the Sox may still try to ship Jansen elsewhere. He'll be a free agent at the end of the season and Liam Hendriks has begun throwing as part of his Tommy John surgery recovery. The Red Sox don't need two closers, and it makes sense to try and make a trade for one of them to clear salary and prioritize the future.
Tyler O'Neill
Boston's outfield is packed with talent, and any of its options would be highly coveted by most ball clubs that need outfield help or an offensive boost. Tyler O'Neill is the only impending free agent, as Rob Refsnyder has a player option for the 2025 season on his contract.
Refsnyder's bat has also been key to the Sox's success during their severely injured stretch from April into May. He's batted well into the .300s for most of the season and has been more consistent than O'Neill when healthy.
O'Neill's 2024 campaign has received more attention, though. The outfielder was labeled as injury-prone after his six-year stint with the Cardinals, and his resurgence on the Red Sox turned heads from the jump. He's batting .257/.352/.528 with 16 homers — the second-most he's hit in his career — in 59 games.
O'Neill would bring offensive power and a defensive boost to any team in the running for a playoff spot. The Red Sox could also opt to keep him around for a postseason run, but he's the outfielder most likely to be traded before the deadline.
Reese McGuire
The Red Sox started the season with two hot catchers, but only one has kept up their pace. Reese McGuire's offense has dwindled, and his playing time along with it.
The emergence of Connor Wong has been revolutionary for Boston, and it's justifiably earned him the majority of starts behind the plate. McGuire is batting just .205/.289/.299 over 40 games, and he's trended steadily down since his explosive offensive start.
Some clubs in contention could use a boost of catching depth, like the Cubs, or Phillies in the absence of J.T Realmuto. McGuire has better offensive stats than Chicago's Miguel Amaya, and similar numbers to Philly's Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchán.
Boston also has Kyle Teel coming up through its minor league system, and although he's only in Double-A, he could be called up to Worcester at any point. Teel has posted a stellar season for the Sea Dogs and he's risen through the Sox's system at a rapid pace. He could be a welcome addition to Boston's roster late this season or at the start of the next, creating no need for McGuire (outside of an injury).