6 MLB All-Stars that could be Red Sox by the trade deadline

We are about a week out from the trade deadline and Boston Red Sox have worked themselves into a position where they have a case to be buyers. As of 7/24, they are just two games back in the AL wild card race and 8.5 games back in the brutal AL East. That certainly isn't ideal, but Boston is definitely within striking distance.

The issue with Boston being buyers at the trade deadline is that they have to make some substantial trades to move the needle enough to contend. Gathering up a couple rental 5th starters isn't gonna get the job done even with Trevor Story seemingly close to returning and the team playing pretty well at the moment.

Sure, a couple minor bullpen upgrades and starter depth pieces would be nice, but Boston has to make up some significant ground against some really good teams to make the playoffs this season. If they are going to go for it, they are going to have to push their chips in for some high end talent.

Here are 6 MLB All-Stars that could be Red Sox by the trade deadline

For this exercise, the focus is going to be solely on players that have been named to All-Star teams who are also potentially available at the trade deadline this year. Would it be sweet to trade for Mike Trout and Zac Gallen? Of course, but those guys aren't going to be available for a number of reasons. The idea here is to dream big, but not be completely pie-in-the-sky thinking.

Lets take a look at the All-Stars that the Red Sox could trade for by the trade deadline.

Lucas Giolito

Lucas Giolito is easily the most mentioned starting pitcher trade target this year that fits the criteria here as he made the AL All-Star team back in 2019. He hasn't been amazing this season, but Giolito is still striking out batters at a 9.7 K/9 rate and could benefit from a change of scenery.

There is no question that Giolito will be available at the deadline as the White Sox are one of the few guaranteed sellers this year and he is a pending free agent. However, the biggest hurdle to Boston acquiring him is that this is definitely a seller's market and Chicago is going to be fielding a LOT of strong offers for Giolito from all over the league.

Justin Verlander

No one is confused as to why Justin Verlander is eligible for consideration here. The Mets collapse in the first half this year has been well documented and they now find themselves closer to having the worst record in the NL this year than they are to a playoff spot. Also, Verlander's track record as one of the best pitchers of his generation is well-documented and he has pitched much better lately.

It does sound like the Mets are at least entertaining the idea of moving Verlander, but there are some problems here. First, he has a full no trade clause and there is no guarantee whatsoever that he is going to be willing to go to Boston or anywhere else for that matter. The other issue is that the Mets are going to want to try and compete next season and Verlander is under contract through 2024 with a vesting option for 2025. Not only is signing up for that level of a financial commitment to an older pitcher not a no-brainer for Boston, but the Mets may also not be willing to actually move him unless they get big league ready talent back for him so they can make a run in 2024.

Marcus Stroman

Marcus Stroman is an interesting case because while he is a two-time All-Star, the Cubs are fringe playoff contenders this year despite being three games below .500. However, at five games out of the wild card and 6.5 games out in the NL Central, the smart money does seem to be that the Cubs will sell at the deadline and Stroman could command a premium for them as one of the better starting pitchers on the market.

Stroman is great at getting a lot of groundballs and usually throws a lot of strikes, but he has seen his walk rate spike a bit this season. His contract also muddies the water a bit as he has a player option for 2024 and while he seems to love living in Chicago, it is pretty unclear as to whether or not he will exercise that option. That makes placing a trade value on him pretty tricky given that teams won't know how long he will actually be with the team.