A Realistic Look at the 2026 Red Sox: Part I

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, dannycater said:

Great for die-hard Sox fans to see this bout of success. It's been a while since the town is rocking and winning has been hard to come by with this franchise last several years. 

This stretch is pretty amazing.

Last year we went 8-1 and 10-2 in one stretch and another stretch of 10 in a row with 12 of 13. They also went 9-1 in another stretch and 7-1 in another.

[notin]

49 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Most TDL trades don't require top prospects.  I think a lot of folks look at the top-100 list, but it is kind of arbitrary.  Two top-125 guys are probably a good bit more valuable than the #100 prospect.

Some do.  If the Tigers move Skubal, rental or not, premium prices will be paid…

[dannycater]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

This stretch is pretty amazing.

Last year we went 8-1 and 10-2 in one stretch and another stretch of 10 in a row with 12 of 13. They also went 9-1 in another stretch and 7-1 in another.

There were great moments last year, making the postseason was exciting and playing Yanks was pretty cool. But I think this stretch was out of left field. It was on no one's bingo card or parlay.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

15 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Some notable values:

13  Anthony

________________

120 Wood

Those values look reasonable. I'm sure every ballclub is willing to give up about 9 Roman Anthonys for 1 James Wood. 

But would Washington bite? Where would they play so many Romans?

[JoeBrady]

36 minutes ago, notin said:

Too much for a pitcher being dumped by a team that was ACTIVELY ACQUIRING PITCHING.

Tibbs had one HR and 39 Ks in 116 ABs when we traded him.  That's a lottery ticket.

[notin]

20 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

That's what the TDL is usually comprised of.  The biggest position trade last year was Naylor.  Most trades look like O'Hearn or Bader, with teams trying to pick up one additional win at a very modest cost.  And I don't think a single big name position player was in 2024.

And the backlash from fans expecting Soto, Schwarber and Judge can safely be ignored.

Randy Arozarena? Jazz Chisholm Jr.?

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

How many Sox fans were thrilled the day we added Pearce?

Nate, yes.

Don't know about thrilled, but I liked it.

[Bellhorn04]

36 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

You can't always tell with injuries, but Story had a .741 last year, and a 4.1 bWAR.  He's 33, but even 33 year old players generally do not lose all their ability in one year.

The K/BB is pretty darn bad.  Combined 25/26 is 233 to 41.  Almost 6 to 1.

[notin]

1 hour ago, Duran Is The Man said:

you're on BTV....what would it take to get James WOod? Mayer & Anthony get it done? if so, i'm all in.

Arias and Tolle, per BTV.  It’s a slight overpay but the simplest, realistic deal…

[notin]

26 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Tibbs had one HR and 39 Ks in 116 ABs when we traded him.  That's a lottery ticket.

I’m more bothered by the fact that if the Dodgers thought May could pitch, they wouldn’t have traded him…

[notin]

32 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Those values look reasonable. I'm sure every ballclub is willing to give up about 9 Roman Anthonys for 1 James Wood. 

But would Washington bite? Where would they play so many Romans?

Romanus eunt domus!

[Duran Is The Man]

2 minutes ago, notin said:

Arias and Tolle, per BTV.  It’s a slight overpay but the simplest, realistic deal…

 i'd rather give up mayer or anhtony than Tolle.

 

[notin]

9 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

 i'd rather give up mayer or anhtony than Tolle.

 

Safe bet Washington prefers Tolle for the same reasons.

Some pre-BTV logic - for a player likes James Wood, if you’re comfortable giving it up, it’s not enough…

Edited Saturday at 05:58 PM by notin

[notin]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

When you see the playing time Cheng, Monasterio and Siegler are getting, it's clear that middle infield and MI depth are a high need areas and will be in 2027 as well, as IKF is a FA.

I can see why they might not want to part with Mayer, just yet. 

The problem is, who had higher value and can be parted with? 

It's young arms, and then we risk trading away the next Harrison, Drohan or Priester.

Can we let go of trading away Drohan?  The White Sox selected him as Rule 5 pick in 2025 and returned him.

It’s weird to me that many lack faith in Seigler because he is a 27yo late bloomer, but lament losing Drohan, who is 6 months older. 

And I’m perfectly fine with how Durbin and Seigler have turned out and think that Milwaukee trade is just one of those deals working out for both teams, which is how it’s supposed to be…

 

[vegasbob]

Find a way to squeeze Bello into a deal.  

He is  insurance  against no Early, tired Bennett and Tolle but I am thinking he is too much a headcase to rely on under pressure. 

[Duran Is The Man]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Safe bet Washington prefers Tolle for the same reasons.

Some pre-BTV logic - for a player likes James Wood, if you’re comfortable giving it up, it’s not enough…

yeah, i know, they really need pitching. give 'em Bello, Anothny and Mayer.

[notin]

47 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

yeah, i know, they really need pitching. give 'em Bello, Anothny and Mayer.

Are you comfortable giving that up?

I think forget about Wood, whom Washington has no reason to trade and probably even less desire.

Maybe someone like Bryan Reynolds makes more sense.   Pitt is doing well and was buying last week, but maybe this is an opportunity for them to get out of the remaining 4 yrs $63mill on Reynolds’ contract.  Not sure what they want.  BTV suggests Witherspoon for a fair matchup, but Duran plus gives them a good “buy low” opportunity…

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

2 hours ago, notin said:

Safe bet Washington prefers Tolle for the same reasons.

Some pre-BTV logic - for a player likes James Wood, if you’re comfortable giving it up, it’s not enough…

Continue dreaming. The Nats are not trading Wood. He's a player a team builds around, not a player they trade.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

9 minutes ago, notin said:

Are you comfortable giving that up?

The Nats would laugh at that and quickly hang up.

[notin]

1 minute ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

The Nats would laugh at that and quickly hang up.

That would be very rude.  They should politely decline with a simple “No thank you.”

I am going to give that FO a stern talking-to…

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

14 minutes ago, notin said:

That would be very rude.  They should politely decline with a simple “No thank you.”

I am going to give that FO a stern talking-to…

Laughing and hanging up quickly would be the normal response when one has been insulted.

[JoeBrady]

3 hours ago, notin said:

I’m more bothered by the fact that if the Dodgers thought May could pitch, they wouldn’t have traded him…

Their rotation after the trade was:

• Kershaw
• Snell
• Yamamoto
• Glasnow
• Sheehan
• Ohtani

With 6 SPs, that leaves only room for 7 RPs, and there is a good chance they wouldn't want May for that role.  But they had plenty of pitching.  My guess is that it was a roster issue.

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, notin said:

Can we let go of trading away Drohan?  The White Sox selected him as Rule 5 pick in 2025 and returned him.

I think I might make it my daily habit to remind people that, if we are unwilling to give up any prospect that has any shot of making the pros, we will never make another trade.  We can offer to trade one of our accountants for one of your regulars, but it is unlikely to work.

The other team HAS to receive something of value.

[JoeBrady]

39 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

The Nats would laugh at that and quickly hang up.

I think I might make it my daily habit to remind people that other teams don't give up young stars with numerous years of control.  That's more a fantasy baseball kind of thing.

[notin]

20 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Their rotation after the trade was:

• Kershaw
• Snell
• Yamamoto
• Glasnow
• Sheehan
• Ohtani

With 6 SPs, that leaves only room for 7 RPs, and there is a good chance they wouldn't want May for that role.  But they had plenty of pitching.  My guess is that it was a roster issue.

Thats not really 6 SPs. 
 

Ohtani’s roster spot doesn’t count towards the pitcher limits.  Plus Snell and Glasnow can probably be combined into one injured pitcher.  
 

Gibing up May at a time when no more major league pitching could be acquired was risky.  Or would have been if May could pitch…
 

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, notin said:

Can we let go of trading away Drohan?  The White Sox selected him as Rule 5 pick in 2025 and returned him.

It’s weird to me that many lack faith in Seigler because he is a 27yo late bloomer, but lament losing Drohan, who is 6 months older. 

And I’m perfectly fine with how Durbin and Seigler have turned out and think that Milwaukee trade is just one of those deals working out for both teams, which is how it’s supposed to be…

 

It's the sliding scale on judging that bugs me.

we traded pitching depth and added pitching depth.

I'll take what we added over what we lost:

Tolle, Gray, Suarez, Bennett, Oviedo, Sandoval, Rivera

Chapman, Moran, Slaten, Weissert

vs

Priester, Harrison & Drohan (I only mentioned the plus guys.)

[cp176]

8 hours ago, Hugh2 said:

Well, how else do you bring hitting in at the deadline?

Maybe you don’t.  

[cp176]

There is no way that I would trade Eyanson at this point.  Witherspoon maybe I guess.  Arias reluctantly.  I would give up Early before I would even start thinking about Bennett or Tolle.  Chapman - yup

Mayer - yup

Anthony - possibly

Gray - either trade him or sign him up for a couple of years.

I understand that you have to give up something to get something but giving up very promising young pitching to me is just foolish.  I’d sit on what we have before I would trade any one of them.  I doubt that anybody is going to blow us a way.  We just need one more power bat in that lineup.

[cp176]

1 minute ago, cp176 said:

There is no way that I would trade Eyanson at this point.  Witherspoon maybe I guess.  Arias reluctantly.  I would give up Early before I would even start thinking about Bennett or Tolle.  Chapman - yup

Mayer - yup

Anthony - possibly

Gray - either trade him or sign him up for a couple of years.

I understand that you have to give up something to get something but giving up very promising young pitching to me is just foolish.  I’d sit on what we have before I would trade any one of them.  I doubt that anybody is going to blow us a way.  We just need one more power bat in that lineup.

Oh wait I think that I should have added Houck, Bello, Crawford and Duran to this list as well as any number of others that no one would want.

[moonslav59]

We aren't likely to trade Anthony, but who knows?