3 Red Sox trade deadline mistakes Chaim Bloom must avoid at all costs
Buy. Sell. What will the Boston Red Sox do at this year’s trade deadline? They’ve been one of the stronger teams in the American League in spite of their starting rotation, bullpen, and an offseason where they seemed to go with lesser moves than some of their biggest foes.
Very much alive at the moment but in a division with four other heavyweights, the Red Sox must think rationally.
Last year was a good example of not being so rational. Why pick up Tommy Pham? J.D. Martinez wasted away on the roster and eventually left for nothing. Those trade deadline mistakes can be learned from. It’s these three Chaim Bloom must avoid at all costs.
1) Red Sox trade deadline mistake to avoid: Don’t sell Alex Verdugo too low
Alex Verdugo has a chance to make the Mookie Betts trade much less undesirable than it still feels. He has been a good but not great outfielder for them since 2020. He is producing at a high rate yet again this season and could be thought of as one of the team’s more appealing trade pieces.
Verdugo has a year of control beyond the current season which makes him someone to easily come back next year for another try, just in case the Red Sox do fall out of the postseason race. The Red Sox aren’t in the position to start rebuilding again. In fact, Verdugo seems much more like an extension candidate than someone to let leave.
His ceiling may have already been reached and as disappointing as it may feel to swap an MVP like Betts for a lesser outfielder such as Verdugo, he’s a piece the Red Sox will benefit from keeping around. The moment he leaves is when the search for an equivalent replacement begins all over again.
If seller mode is the one turned on in Boston, Verdugo should stay outside of an extreme overpayment. Everyone has a price. For Verdugo, it has to be a mouthwatering offer.
2) Red Sox trade deadline mistake to avoid: Don’t overpay to make it work
The Red Sox would need a vastly different pitching staff in order to make anyone confident in them going very far. They’d be wise to begin by acquiring starting pitchers. Any leftovers they may have might need to find their way to the bullpen. Boston could use some upgrades there, too.
In buyer mode, the Red Sox have some very obvious upgrades they could make. It would be a major mistake to overpay for players just to try to turn the season around. It’s lipstick on a pig.
The signing of Corey Kluber has turned into a massive mistake. Chris Sale has shown flashes of his old self yet he’s as combustible as ever. Ailing arms in the bullpen. ERAs so high we question if someone made an error. The pitching the Red Sox currently have needs to get right before even considering some major expensive upgrades.
It may even be a waste for Boston to acquire a lesser pitcher or a position player if they’re not going to attack the trade deadline in full force. The congested American League East will likely create several trade deadline battles between the five ball clubs for other players. As each plunders the American League Central and the other weak teams around MLB, the Red Sox need to be honest about who they are.
3) Red Sox trade deadline mistake to avoid: Don’t feel obligated to keep any of the veterans
The Red Sox should have the 2024 season in mind with every action they take at the trade deadline. Don’t throw away a big part of your immediate future for the sake of winning now. This applies for most players except for some of the veterans.
Someone like Kenley Jansen could turn into a hot commodity at the trade deadline. Good, bad, or neutral, the Red Sox shouldn’t cling too hard to him for a chance to add other pieces they believe are a better fit for them long-term.
These same rules apply for other aging veterans with contractual obligations beyond 2023. Justin Turner has a player option for next year. They shouldn’t balk at keeping him. He could leave anyway.
It would be a major mistake by the Red Sox to not do anything at all. Don’t act like Sweden. Pick a side. Buy and sell if you have to. Swap a short-term piece for a longer one that may help you next season if that’s what works.
Being true to what they are is what the Red Sox need most at this year’s trade deadline. Reaching a little bit to try to add a spark is acceptable. Calling a team meeting to try and muster up the players you already have and not finding better ones is not.
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