Early Trade deadline deals the selling Sox should make

[vegasbob]

5 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

The problem is that it's not one 0-4 day. This Monday is Memorial Day and the team is WAY below .500. This has been 8 weeks of failure.

When Cora and his coaches were fired after the April 25th  17 run blowout of the Otrioles, the Sox were 10-17 , one game worse than the 2-8 start .

Since then they have gone 11-10 , while still run challenged .  It's not a lot but the trend is very slightly positive.

Still 6 below .500 , same as after the first 10 games where Cora did not have them ready to play .

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, notin said:

What inconsistency?  Bear in mind his bad 2026 was not known yet…

Seriously?

This guy changed his stance 34 times.

He sucked on D, then looked good, then looked inconsistent as all hell.

Bat

69 OPS+ first 335 PAs (21-22) Okay, throw this out, like many won't with Mayer's first 335.

121 (2023) .837 first 1/3, .889 middle 3rd, .761 last 3rd

132 (2024) .777 first 3rd, .960 middle 3rd, .741 last 3rd

117 (2025) .736 first 3rd. .802 middle 3d, .787 last 3rd (pretty steady last year)

His career shows very nice June & July (.860 and .855)

April & May: .717 and .725

AUG & SEP: .754 & .633

Yes, he's consistent at being predictable in his inconsistencies.

Bad, then good, then bad each year.

[notin]

44 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Seriously?

This guy changed his stance 34 times.

He sucked on D, then looked good, then looked inconsistent as all hell.

Bat

69 OPS+ first 335 PAs (21-22) Okay, throw this out, like many won't with Mayer's first 335.

121 (2023) .837 first 1/3, .889 middle 3rd, .761 last 3rd

132 (2024) .777 first 3rd, .960 middle 3rd, .741 last 3rd

117 (2025) .736 first 3rd. .802 middle 3d, .787 last 3rd (pretty steady last year)

His career shows very nice June & July (.860 and .855)

April & May: .717 and .725

AUG & SEP: .754 & .633

Yes, he's consistent at being predictable in his inconsistencies.

Bad, then good, then bad each year.

I think you might find the majority of hitters go through ranges like that in some order.  And many of the ones that don’t just stay cold all year.

[notin]

3 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

The same thing could be said about every player ever traded.

It was a shot in the dark trade- the type many teams try at the deadline.

No it could not.  In fact, the overwhelming bulk of trades nowadays are not for that reason.  

May was traded from a team in painfully obvious playoff contention. How many contenders trade away MLB pitching at any deadline?

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, notin said:

No it could not.  In fact, the overwhelming bulk of trades nowadays are not for that reason.  

May was traded from a team in painfully obvious playoff contention. How many contenders trade away MLB pitching at any deadline?

Teams that don't like said pitchers and don't want those pitchers anywhere near the playoffs!

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, notin said:

The Rays traded former BA Top 100 prospect Curtis Mead for Adrian Houser on the same day..

Was Houser being sent to the pen? He had a 2.10 ERA prior to being traded. 

He also pitched much better down the stretch than May did! 

[notin]

8 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Teams that don't like said pitchers and don't want those pitchers anywhere near the playoffs!

Exactly.  My point all along.  The Dodgers were not going to deal May if they thought he had anything left.  A couple key arm injuries in July, August, September - hardly unrealistic - and they’re scrambling through the Oklahoma City Comets to see who go 2 innings without throwing 60 pitches.  If they had May (plus faith in May), there’s no need for that headache.

That conversation goes from 

“Why’d we trade Dustin?”

to

”Why’d we trade Dustin?”

”Because he sucked.”

”Oh yeah”

[drewski6]

5 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Is this really true though? I have my complaints about Breslow. I think he's a terrible communicator. I think he's gotten absolutely washed in some trades. He comes off as aloof to me, not smug & righteous.

smug ? yes righteous? havent seen that.

But making sure how you bring up in every interview that you are the final boss, I would say is smug.

Righteous? I interpret that to mean like condescending from a moral POV to the point where its disingenuous.  I wouldnt call him that.

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

smug ? yes righteous? havent seen that.

But making sure how you bring up in every interview that you are the final boss, I would say is smug.

Righteous? I interpret that to mean like condescending from a moral POV to the point where its disingenuous.  I wouldnt call him that.

I haven't heard the "final boss" part. I won't make you go find a quote. I'll try to listen to him more intently going forward. To me, he's just awkward and unfriendly, but not intentionally rude or smug. Whatever. It doesn't matter. I don't care about his personality. I care that this team is in the toilet because of him.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

I think you might find the majority of hitters go through ranges like that in some order.  And many of the ones that don’t just stay cold all year.

Very true, but I do feel like GMs worried more about Duran being unpredictable than others. His history was part of that.

Some of his antic probably bothered some GMs.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

No it could not.  In fact, the overwhelming bulk of trades nowadays are not for that reason.  

May was traded from a team in painfully obvious playoff contention. How many contenders trade away MLB pitching at any deadline?

I was talking from the Sox and buyer perspective.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, drewski6 said:

smug ? yes righteous? havent seen that.

But making sure how you bring up in every interview that you are the final boss, I would say is smug.

Righteous? I interpret that to mean like condescending from a moral POV to the point where its disingenuous.  I wouldnt call him that.

I think Brez thinks he's right. He does make it seem like he's "the one" making the calls.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Exactly.  My point all along.  The Dodgers were not going to deal May if they thought he had anything left.  A couple key arm injuries in July, August, September - hardly unrealistic - and they’re scrambling through the Oklahoma City Comets to see who go 2 innings without throwing 60 pitches.  If they had May (plus faith in May), there’s no need for that headache.

That conversation goes from 

“Why’d we trade Dustin?”

to

”Why’d we trade Dustin?”

”Because he sucked.”

”Oh yeah”

Why'd we trade Brasier?

Why'd as team like LAD trade for him?

(Hint: they hoped he'd do better.)

[JoeBrady]

4 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

He was ranked higher than Early! Higher than Valera and Clarke! All the guys around him were top 100 guys or soon to be! 

 

I don't see him ranked highly anywhere.

[notin]

5 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Very true, but I do feel like GMs worried more about Duran being unpredictable than others. His history was part of that.

Some of his antic probably bothered some GMs.

But we saw far less productive outfielders get decent returns, notably Robert snd Ward,  both of whom are inferior to Duran…

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, notin said:

But we saw far less productive outfielders get decent returns, notably Robert snd Ward,  both of whom are inferior to Duran…

Agreed.

I did not think Duran for Paredes was worth it. I wanted 2 from King, Sousa or Janek, but later thought just one would be worth it.

I'm not sure HOU would have done 1 for 1.

[notin]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

Agreed.

I did not think Duran for Paredes was worth it. I wanted 2 from King, Sousa or Janek, but later thought just one would be worth it.

I'm not sure HOU would have done 1 for 1.

We were talking about the “top prospects” Breslow was seeking…

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, notin said:

We were talking about the “top prospects” Breslow was seeking…

Yes, I went off track.

Your Rushing suggestion might have worked real well.

MVP was saying "prospects" all winter.

[mvp 78]

9 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

I don't see him ranked highly anywhere.

👨‍🦯

[moonslav59]

BTV says the Sox make a minor over pay for this:

Witherspoon, Phillips & Wong

for

Paredes & Janek

[Hugh2]

Up until recently the best trade candidates the Sox have either have zero trade value or reduced value due to struggled (Duran).  Guys who are not on expiring deals but you'd like to clear out also have little to negative value (Story and Yoshida). 

Still, you could get a little of shiny toys if Duran starts hitting and you dealt some pitching away. 

The team is only 2 games out of a WILD Card which is.....wild.  I'd like to see them turn it around but if they're a sub .500 team come august none of this hug the line crap we've seen in years past.  Just sell and retool for next year. 

[moonslav59]

BTV has Duran's current value at 16. That seems about right. A few days ago, I might have said it's bit too high.

The have Anthony 52, Rafaela 48, Tolle 47, Arias 46, Mayer 45, Abreu 44, Early 39, Crochet 38

Narvaez 26, Witherspoon 17

Duran & Durbin 16, Suarez 14, Eyanson & Soto 13, Phillips 11, Azocar & Gonzales 10

Slaten 9, Godbout 8, Cespedes 7 Valera & Romy 6, Holobetz & Bennett 5

-37 Story (owed $48M) In theory, we could trade him and "save" 9M to be even.

-19 Yoshida (owed $31M) We could maybe "save" $12M trading him.

-15 Bello (owed $49M) They say he will bring $34M value to his team!

-5 Sandoval (owed $9M) "save $4M?" LOL

-4 Gray (owed $18M)

-3 Chapman, Houck & IKF

 -2 Crawford & Whitlock, -1 Casas & Oviedo

 

 

[JoeBrady]

3 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

BTV says the Sox make a minor over pay for this:

Witherspoon, Phillips & Wong

for

Paredes & Janek

Janek is not impressing me, but Paredes is a good fit.

[Behindenemylines]

On 5/18/2026 at 12:10 PM, mvp 78 said:

It doesn't feel like Durbin is a core player. Maybe bench player? 

I think the Durbin experiment is over. As good as the D has been, the O has been terrible. It's amazing that the Brewers won trades with the Sox for young controllable pitching two years in a row. If the Brewers call up Sox about a young pitcher in the Sox system, they need to hang up the phone.

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

Janek is not impressing me, but Paredes is a good fit.

okay shania.  That dont impress me much.

[drewski6]

Just now, drewski6 said:

okay shania.  That dont impress me much.

(likes own post)

[drewski6]

i was gonna ask y we cant like our own posts but i answered my own q, its cuz we give fenway replicas to most liked post of the year...well not we, ive never pitched in.

[Duran Is The Man]

37 minutes ago, Behindenemylines said:

I think the Durbin experiment is over. As good as the D has been, the O has been terrible. It's amazing that the Brewers won trades with the Sox for young controllable pitching two years in a row. If the Brewers call up Sox about a young pitcher in the Sox system, they need to hang up the phone.

the Brewers GM when he sees Bresloverpay's number on his phone.

 

[moonslav59]

We have no idea if the Brewers won the Priester trade. Quinn has been on the IL all year.

The return:

YRod .897 OPS (10 Hrs in 33 games)

Holobetz 4.83 ERA, but a bad 2 game stretch of 10 IP and 11 ERs killed his stats.

Phillips not off to a great start

 

Harrison is off to a good start, but he's only gone 46 IP.

The return has not looked good, so far:

Durbin doing horrifically

Monasterio .682 w BOS

Seigler: .820 in AAA