5 teams that the Red Sox need to try to make a trade with at the deadline
The trade deadline is all about trying to find the right trade partner. Boston has no shortage of options there.
The Boston Red Sox remain in a weird position as we enter the second half. This is far from a bad team, but they are playing in a brutally tough AL East this year and the wild card race is looking to be very competitive the rest of the way.
However, a strong end to the first half gives Boston hope that they could at least make a run at a wild card spot especially with Trevor Story and Corey Kluber looking like they could be back relatively soon from the injured list.
The trick here is that Boston does have some pieces that they could sell at the deadline that wouldn't torpedo their roster and could also help them get the starting pitching that they sorely need. A hybrid approach at the deadline seems like the path forward as a result and that is going to require finding the right trade partners.
Here are the teams that the Red Sox should match up with at the trade deadline
The goal here is to find teams that have needs that Boston can help fill for their own races while also bolstering the Red Sox's own ranks in the short and long-term. Boston also just needs to find teams that are guaranteed sellers at the deadline to fill roster holes for 2023 so that they can keep their playoff chances alive. This isn't the easiest needle to thread, but there should be opportunities towards this end at the deadline.
Anyways, lets get into the teams that the Red Sox need to match up with at the trade deadline.
The Cardinals make a lot of sense as a trade partner for the Red Sox
It appears as though the Cardinals have finally read the writing on the wall and should be selling in some capacity at the trade deadline. They are firmly in last place in the National League Central and even if they were to put together a bit of a run, the Reds and Brewers are in a much better position for a playoff push. However, that doesn't mean that the Cardinals don't have talent on their roster and Boston should try to take advantage.
The Cardinals "probably" don't want to trade too many guys who have team control beyond this season, but they have a ton of guys who are about to be free agents. Jordan Montgomery should be at the top of the Red Sox's wish list to bolster their rotation. Jack Flaherty was a hot name a few years ago, but he hasn't pitched well in a few seasons. Jordan Hicks and Chris Stratton are interesting bullpen options as well that shouldn't break the bank.
The Red Sox could make a deal with the Giants that could benefit both teams
The San Francisco Giants have remained competitive in the loaded NL West, but they find themselves in real need of an impact bat especially with Thairo Estrada out for at least another month. Moreover, they are also rich in pitching prospects. Getting Kyle Harrison and probably Carson Whisenhunt is probably off the table, but the Giants still have a number of arms in the high minors like Mason Black, Landen Roupp, Keaton Winn, and Carson Seymour that could be interesting to Boston.
The obvious name that could make sense for the Giants would be Adam Duvall as he is one of the few bats who could be available at the deadline that could move the needle. However, the Giants could also need another starting pitcher especially with Harrison getting hurt right before the All-Star break, but the Giants still have enough pitching prospects to make a deal work without disrupting their short-term plans too much.
The Padres are all-in and Boston should take advantage of that
One of the bigger disappointments this year have been the San Diego Padres. Despite all of their wheeling and dealing, the Padres find themselves in fourth place in the National League West. However, there is no denying the star power that is on their roster and San Diego has shown no indication whatsoever that they are throwing in the towel.
With the Padres looking to buy, Boston has an enthusiastic trade partner. Guys like Justin Tuner and Adam Duvall make sense as options to send to the Padres to give them a DH that can actually hit. The return from San Diego would likely not be guys who could help this year, but San Diego is rich in guys that are further away but have tons of potential with Adam Mazur, Sam Zavala, and Jairo Iriarte being among the most interesting options.
The Tigers and Red Sox could be a strong trade deadline pairing
Now we turn our attention to the 2023 Red Sox roster. Starting pitching is priority #1 here and the Detroit Tigers are probably the best fit there. While the AL Central has been truly awful this season, the Tigers are way below .500 and it seems likely that they will sell at the deadline as a result to position themselves better for 2024.
The Tigers' bullpen pieces would be easier deals to make to be sure, but they have two starting pitchers that Boston should check in on. Michael Lorenzen is an interesting rental option that shouldn't cost too much in prospects unless Detroit tries to parlay his All-Star label into more than it is worth. The other name would be a reunion in Eduardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez had been one of the better pitchers in the American League before hitting the injured list with a finger injury. Boston will want to make sure he is completely healthy before any deal, but no team would know him better than Boston.
The White Sox sell-off should give the Red Sox a bunch of options
There is a certain amount of uncertainty right now regarding which teams are going to actually be sellers at the deadline, but everyone seems to agree that the White Sox will be active sellers at the deadline. While they could want to return to contention relatively quickly, they have a ton of pending free agents and relievers to move and have shown a strong willingness to do so.
Lucas Giolito seems like he is at the top of every team's wish list at the moment as a rental starter with a track record of success. Keynan Middleton and Kendall Graveman are still two of the better relievers on the trade market and neither should require Boston to give up too much. Dylan Cease is an obvious choice given his track record and the quality of his stuff, but he is having a down year and would require a very large trade package to acquire given how much team control he has left.
More Red Sox News from BoSox Injection
manual