2) Dream Red Sox trade deadline addition: Josh Hader
While we’re mentioning Kenley Jansen, let’s talk about the work he has done for the Red Sox. It has been okay. He’s at the point of his career where falling off a cliff is equally as possible as it would be for him to play the escape artist aging closer who somehow finishes the year with good numbers but those who have watched him closely know better. Signed through next season as well, the Red Sox probably have their closer in place.
This won’t stop us from dreaming of a Josh Hader rental. The San Diego Padres have been brutal this season. Hader is one of the few actually performing well ahead of his first trip to free agency.
The Padres are probably a team that’ll fight to the bitter end to turn their season around. With as much money as they’ve invested into the roster, the embarrassment of punting too early and trading a guy like Hader out of their bullpen would be too much to bear. For all of the frustrations Red Sox fans may have, it’s multiplied for those who cheer on the Padres. They don’t have any World Series wins to hang their hats on or brag about. This year was one where they seemed destined to end the drought. Maybe not.
Putting Hader in the ninth or having a closer-by-committee or having him as a setup man for Jansen would turn the questionable Boston bullpen into an elite squad. It’ll take a big swing to land him. The results can be messy. In this dream trade scenario, it all works out perfectly.