There are myriad different ways the 2023-24 offseason could've gone better for the Boston Red Sox and their fans.
ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney dropped a knowledge bomb that's torturing Red Sox Nation and showing them the offseason the team could've had. Or, more accurately, the one the club could've avoided.
Boston has had famously bad trade deadlines in recent years, and the team made no moves before the limit in 2023. Olney's report suggests that wasn't for a lack of trying.
On an ESPN broadcast this afternoon, Olney stated that the Red Sox had a lot of plans for the 2023 deadline, but that none of the trades got past the front office.
Chris Sale was almost dished to Atlanta last season. Kenley Jansen was almost sent to the World Series runner-up Diamondbacks. Justin Turner was nearly sent to south Florida to play for the Marlins.
Some of the Red Sox's offseason woes were almost mitigated at the 2023 trade deadline
But that isn't all. James Paxton and Adam Duvall were also brought up in trade discussions, but no potential homes for them were found.
It's a shame that the Red Sox even had to consider dumping this many players at the deadline — they were ahead of the Yankees and just 1.5 games behind the Jays in the American League East standings
But, former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom likely knew that he was not long for the club. He was fired just a month and a half later, with two weeks left in the season and without a shred of dignity or class from the organization. It's possible he thought a trade deadline fire sale would save his reputation, or give the Sox a chance to go off on a tear and overtake Toronto in the standings.
Buster Olney on the ESPN broadcast said the Red Sox almost had a fire sale at the deadline:
— James Stewart ☝️ (@IAmJamesStewart) March 7, 2024
- Chris Sale to the Braves
- Kenley Jansen to the D-Backs
- Justin Turner to the Marlins
- Paxton and Duvall were discussed as going elsewhere
Since none of the deals went through, neither of those scenarios ended up coming true. Boston finished the last season firmly in last place with a losing record, and Duvall, Paxton and Turner all walked, leaving the Sox with nothing in return. If Boston can't find a home for Jansen or Chris Martin this offseason, they're both likely to do the same.
The Red Sox considering trades for so many players feels like an admission of defeat, which isn't a great feeling, but they're even more defeated after getting nothing in return for the players for whom they explored exchanges. They could've expedited whatever re-tool is happening right now.
Last year's trade deadline turned the 2023-24 offseason into an even sadder state of affairs than Red Sox Nation has grown used to. Hopefully, a new chief baseball officer and Theo Epstein back in the front office can reverse the constant stream of bad decisions the Red Sox and their fans have been subjected to.
Please.