How bold do you think the Red Sox are going to be this trade deadline? The team is no doubt in a tricky situation, with a playoff berth currently in hand, but a roster that likely presents too many challenges to genuinely contend. But one ESPN insider isn’t mincing words: “They are going big,” says Jeff Passan. “Maybe that means getting Zach Neto from the Angels. They could try to convince Houston to move Jeremy Pena, even as the Astros try to win now, or wheedle [CJ] Abrams from Washington. The best opportunity, though, could be [Otto] Lopez, the Marlins’ All-Star shortstop.” (Jeff Passan, ESPN)
Lopez is having a fine season, but the shortstop that really gets the mouth watering is Bobby Witt, Jr. Is he a total pipedream? “Acquiring Witt, Kansas City’s 26-year-old All-Star shortstop, would require a haul, and yes, I’d have to imagine the Royals asking price starts with Anthony and Arias. Starters Payton Tolle and Eyanson would probably also be part of the Royals’ asking price.” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
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Otto Lopez may or may not be the answer in the middle of the diamond, but there is little question that the Red Sox need to beef up the offense. “There’s been a through-line among teams that have advanced in the playoffs and particularly among those that have won: the ability to mash… Since 2020, 24 teams have reached the League Championship Series … On average, those teams have ranked sixth among all teams in regular-season runs, with 13 of the 24 ranking in MLB’s top five in runs per game, and 19 finishing in the top 10.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
There is a slight chance that Curtis Mead will be around to help out that offense at some point this season. After returning to Boston, a specialist ruled out the need for surgery to repair his fractured wrist. “One source said that Mead was given a ‘tentative’ timeline of 6-8 weeks. The regular season ends eight weeks from Sunday, on September 27.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
Having enough offense to take an early lead could be particularly valuable for this team because, thanks to the emergence of Tyron Guerrero, the Red Sox bullpen is suddenly shortening games for the opposition. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
When Guerrero was first promoted we heard a lot about his velocity. But what has made him really effective is his control, as he currently carries just a 3% walk rate. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
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