Red Sox can’t afford to risk going with this trade deadline approach in 2025

Ever since the Rafael Devers trade, Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has been clear about his deadline plan: be aggressive. At the time, it sounded like he might be punching above his weight class. The Sox were a few games out of the Wild Card and weren't in a position to be aggressive buyers in late July.

Then, a 10-game win streak headed into the All-Star break pulled Boston into the thick of the playoff hunt. They held a wildcard spot and weren't far behind Toronto for the division lead. All of a sudden, Breslow's plan seemed more viable.

While there certainly aren't many needs on the current roster, there are a few clear holes to be addressed. Another starting pitcher seems like a must, a better backup catcher, an upgrade at first base, and more bullpen depth are the areas that are most likely to be addressed in the coming weeks.

This is probably the most anticipated deadline since the 2018 season. The team is trending upwards, and the excitement around Red Sox Nation is palpable. Those factors may motivate Breslow, who is already gung-ho about this deadline, to push hard for it.

Caution can't be thrown to the wind this season, though. This is an extremely young roster, and although the aspirations are to make the playoffs, the expectations for this team can't be to win it all this season. In Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel's piece on top trade candidates, seven of the top 30 are rentals. While that number doesn't seem high, the players are ranked by value, and trade value comes from having years of control, so seven of the 30 being rentals is a pretty high ratio.

High-priced rentals are good for teams who think they can win the World Series this year or feel like their championship window is closing. Neither of those descriptions fit this Red Sox squad. This team needs to focus on players with more years of control, and the Joe Ryan rumors show they are. Adding players who won't just help this year, but can help next year or beyond, should be the goal of this deadline.

Why the Red Sox should avid high-priced rentals at this year's trade deadline

Players like Orioles first baseman/DH Ryan O'Hearn or Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan could be hugely impactful for this team down the stretch. They won't come cheap though, potentially costing a prospect ranked in the top seven-10 in the system. Trading away a quality prospect for a player who more than likely will hit the open market this offseason isn't smart business. Jeff Passan even suggested this may not be the year for the Sox to be aggressive with rentals.

That being said, not all rentals are bad. This team can, and should, still add players to make a playoff push this season, just don't spend the farm on them. Last year's deadline is a good framework for this year, though the pieces the Sox brought in didn't perform well. Breslow sent prospects who were about to be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft out to bring in supplemental vets. Doing that again would be a good idea, as long as it isn't the only move or moves made.

This deadline can potentially shape the future of this organization. Some pieces can be moved to improve the current club, but Breslow needs to push the correct buttons and not be overzealous. Rentals are good in the correct scenario, but depleting a farm system, which has already seen graduations at the top, for someone who may not be in Boston on opening day 2026 might not be the solution this season.