Red Sox's Trade Deadline Wishlist Following Curtis Mead Blockbuster

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I'm guessing that Breslow offered the Nats Arias and another top prospect for Abrams. When the Nats turned that down, they agreed on Mead for Early. Breslow had to cover his butt and get some RH power.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

4 hours ago, notin said:

But they all operate on similar principles…

Because of surplus Arias has a higher BTV than Abrams.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

7 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Because of surplus Arias has a higher BTV than Abrams.

Abrams still has two more years of team control.

[Hugh2]

49 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Lindor and his agent have said that Lindor will not play 2nd base.

I mean, you’re probably right, but it wouldn’t be the first time a player says one thing and by the time they’re traded and their ego takes a hit they reconsider.

i figure Lindor is still a short stop, he’s fine there, but at some point his defense is going to to take a hit and he’s going to have to move.  Father Time is undefeated 

[JoeBrady]

9 hours ago, southpaw777 said:

I go get a starter and put Sandoval and Bello back in AAA

Both are too good to send down.

[JoeBrady]

6 hours ago, UtahSox said:

Logically I think Breslow has a better chance of keeping his job,

I don't think a real issue.

[SoxPhan]

Abrams for Arias, Witherspoon, Valera, Monasterio

Bieber for Mayer

Weaver for Duran, Delzine

Something like this would be ideal to me. C seems like it's going to get pricey with NYY, Dodgers, Rays and maybe more all in the market, and not much after Jeffers. Would rather go bigger for someone who's better and isn't a rental. Plus I don't mind Narvaez/Wong. They've handled the staff great, and Narvy is still capable of getting rolling. Offense is a luxury at C. 
CJ is a young All-Star SS with speed, power and a few yrs control, so I'd give up Arias, plus multiple top 10 prospects not named Eyanson. Would throw in a bit more if necessary, but wouldn't go too crazy. 

Bieber has looked good his last few starts. If we get a serviceable veteran starter out of him to help down the stretch with the youngins, great,  It's also not out of the question he finds some of his past form and really helps us big.. 
I still like Bello and think he can give us something down the stretch, too. I wouldn't rule out some quality starts from him. 

Last one is pretty simple. Not sure if that gets it done for Weaver? If not, the best RP we can get for Duran+ a decent(but not top6) prospect.

If Story comes back he's plays 2nd, Mead full-time DH/super-sub, Jones/Yoshida platoon left and hope and pray Roman comes back healthy at some point.
If the price is much higher on CJ, I'm out and I'm not too keen on selling the farm for Neto or Pena, either. I'd rather target a cheaper bat like Springer or Robert Jr, who have the potential to mash.  

[vegasbob]

10 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Keeping Cheng on the roster probably requires them seeing Mead play 2b for a little while and seeing him underwhelm. 

Not sure they can keep Jones, Romy, Masa, Monasterio and Cheng on the same roster now. Cheng is the best SS, but another move has to be made and another after that if Story comes back in a few weeks. 

My thought is that Bres has loaded up the players listed between Boston's 26 and WooSox to be able to make a multi-player out, and a single player (SP) in.

The 40 will change by 4 players by August 3.

 

[vjcsmoke]

Arias is so close, I don't see a good reason to give up any major pieces just for a rental SS.

Tsung-che cheng was not a good hitter but adequate defensively.

Maybe just pick up a LHP for the bullpen and call it a day.

Giving up Early for Meade is already a steep price to give.

[vjcsmoke]

2 hours ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

I'm guessing that Breslow offered the Nats Arias and another top prospect for Abrams. When the Nats turned that down, they agreed on Mead for Early. Breslow had to cover his butt and get some RH power.

Why would the Nats ever consider trading Abrams though? He's a proven star at SS, one of the most premium positions. Arias won't be ready until 2027 at the earliest. If we traded Early + Arias for Abrams then I would understand. But I feel like Early for Meade is just a panic trade. Giving up a left-handed  top 3 rotation arm is overpay.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I'd go get Gausman for the stretch run. He's 35 on an expiring contract and not having a great year. But he's still a workhorse, and leads the league in games started. The key is he can't cost much -- is he worth giving up a lotto ticket A ball arm to make 5 starts and save a hundred pitches from each guy in the playoff rotation?

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

I'm guessing that Breslow offered the Nats Arias and another top prospect for Abrams. When the Nats turned that down, they agreed on Mead for Early. Breslow had to cover his butt and get some RH power.

I heard they wanted Eyanson, Arias and two more prospects for Abrams.

[UtahSox]

Ketel Marte is mad at Dbacks again! I’d love him and move Mead to DH. 

1b- WC40, 2b- Marte, SS- Mona/ Story/ Arias, 3b- Durbin (assuming Mayer in trade)

LF- Yoshida/ Anthony, CF- Rafaela, RF- Abreu, DH- Mead (assuming Duran is in a trade)

[southpaw777]

8 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Both are too good to send down.

It’s all about room on the active roster…bullpen or AAA if there are options. We NEED a starter. Whatever we have to do to make it happen

[Hugh2]

 

Here are some facts.  Since June 19th the offense. 

FWar - 15th

HR's - 18th

OBP - 16th

RUNS - 8th

 

Those are average numbers.  Which is fine, because before June 19th they were dead last in every category.  

Pitching and defense can dominate games if the offense is good enough and not deadlast like they were in runs scored earlier this season.

I'd expect the inverse to be true as well.  If you have elite hitting, you don't need elite pitching, but you can't have bad pitching.  

I'm open to the Sox making more additions on offense if it fits the mold of the Mead trade.  What does that mean? well they moved Early for another young player with 4.5 years of control; he wasn't a rental.  Best place to make that upgrade is at catcher, which may be more realistic in the offseason.

Pitching is what concerns me, we are witnessing how completely dominant this team can be when the hitting is good enough, but if that pitching takes a step back the team will seriously regress. 

Both Tolle and Bennett are either at or above their career innings pitched, Sandoval is coming off TJS, and your ace is not so young anymore. Don't get me wrong, Gray has been amazing, but the fact is he's pushing 37 and age always must be concerned when it comes to injury or fatigue risk.  Your depth has been decimated, and what you have carries a TON of risk. 

The team doesn't need an ace, but it needs innings, it needs a serious innings eater.  Crochet may be able to come back and help in the bullpen at some point, but the time has passed to be able to ramp him up to starting, unless he was coming back now (which he's not) 

I would entertain a rental at SS, and I would entertain a cost-controlled upgrade at Catcher, but I'd certainly be targeting pitching. 

[JoeBrady]

7 hours ago, UtahSox said:

Ketel Marte is mad at Dbacks again! I’d love him and move Mead to DH. 

I don't want players that are always mad at their team.

[JoeBrady]

4 hours ago, southpaw777 said:

It’s all about room on the active roster…bullpen or AAA if there are options. We NEED a starter. Whatever we have to do to make it happen

Sandoval is a starter.  Bello is a bulk reliever, which is basically a starter who doesn't pitch well in the 1st inning.  Since Castillo is a current conversation, I don't see how adding him to the RS, and sending down Sandoval, who is pitching better, improves the team.

[JoeBrady]

58 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

it needs a serious innings eater.

I'm still not getting.  Say we trade for Castillo.  What would our rotation be?

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I don't want players that are always mad at their team.

AZ has built their org around some BOS guys too: Hazen, Lovullo. He'd probably get the same vibe here.

[mvp 78]

Castillo is terrible away from SEA now. He's a flyball pitcher whose stuff has greatly diminished over the past few years. No thanks,

 

[southpaw777]

3 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Sandoval is a starter.  Bello is a bulk reliever, which is basically a starter who doesn't pitch well in the 1st inning.  Since Castillo is a current conversation, I don't see how adding him to the RS, and sending down Sandoval, who is pitching better, improves the team.

I never mentioned Castillo nor would he be my first choice.

Gray and Suarez are the two guys who I have no concerns about in the rotation.. Tolle/Bennett, IP limits. Sandoval is still coming off a two year break. Bello is Bello and Crochet is not even on the radar as far as a possible return timetable.

Early is now gone and Breslow traded away all our pitching depth, so we need to find someone competent who can replace Early.

we can find someone better on the open market, and should. 

we got Jake Peavy in 2013. A starter like that.
He wasn’t a top guy anymore, but he was a bulldog that gave you good competitive innings and some passion on the mound and clubhouse. A vet that’s been there before.

[Hugh2]

29 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I'm still not getting.  Say we trade for Castillo.  What would our rotation be?

Here is a better way of looking at it.  Here is our current rotation:

Gray/Suarez/Tolle/Bennett/Sandoval.

Whos is the next guy if one of them goes down? Bello? sure but you need an opener then who is next? Blake Wehunt? and again you have to consider these guys are going to get fatigued especially the ones pushing their innings limit. 

You need innings. And I would seriously consider a 6 man, which is not all too uncommon for a partial season in the big leagues nowadays. 

[Hugh2]

Castillo has a 4.85 ERA in a down season, that's fine for a #5 guy.  I don't need an ace I need innings. Having innings helps Gray/Suarez/Tolle/Bennett and the bullpen. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Get a cheap veteran rental to expand the starting rotation. 

Assuming the Brez-Bailey Run Prevention Red Sox aren't trading Arias, a good shortstop, for Neto, a below-average shortstop, then the biggest cost this weekend will probably be for a decent reliever. 

Boston is not converting a backend starter to a meaningful role in the bullpen in August. Combined in their careers, Breslow and Bailey pitched in over 800 MLB games... with ZERO games started.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

Sandoval is a starter.  Bello is a bulk reliever, which is basically a starter who doesn't pitch well in the 1st inning.  Since Castillo is a current conversation, I don't see how adding him to the RS, and sending down Sandoval, who is pitching better, improves the team.

I'm not sure some of the pitchers discussed are clearly better than Sandoval, but let's not kid ourselves. Sandoval is a highly questionable pitcher. This, coming from the guy talking up his past era of damn good pitching.

I'm not sure Castillo is better or has a better future outlook. I think Lugo is better, but it's not a slam dunk. Gausman seems better. 

We have to realize Sandoval's sample size is 14 IP, and that's from 2025 to 2026.

5.08 ERA but 3.87 FIP in 80 IP from 2024.

4.11 ERA and 4.18 FIP in 145 IP in 2023.

I like Sandoval. There is a decent chance he keeps pitching well. He should not need an IP limit beyond the norm. It might not be the end of the world, if we don't replace him, but I do think we can upgrade our 5 slot or use someone to give Bennett & Tolle some time off. I do NOT want to tax the pen with "pen games" when those two need to skip a start.

[moonslav59]

The more I hear about the poor defense by many SSs being talked about, the more I'm shying away from the idea.

Sure, we could eventually move Mead to DH (1B/LF?) and slide someone over to 2B, but we have needs at other slots that don't involve so many complications.

SP

RP

Catcher

[JoeBrady]

57 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Gray/Suarez/Tolle/Bennett/Sandoval.

Whos is the next guy if one of them goes down? Bello?

So we trade for an SP, and keep him in the BP until someone goes down?  Like Moon said, maybe demote Tolle for 15 days and maybe do two 3-inning stints just to keep sharp, and then do the same with Bennett.

Maybe I'm just being superstitious and hate to mess with what's working.

[JoeBrady]

22 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

He should not need an IP limit beyond the norm.

I'd err on the side of risk on Sandoval.  He's gone after this year, and he was well-paid.  Abuse him if necessary.  And he probably wants as many innings as possible to increase his ask next year.

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

I'd err on the side of risk on Sandoval.  He's gone after this year, and he was well-paid.  Abuse him if necessary.  And he probably wants as many innings as possible to increase his ask next year.

Okay, we give him all he can handle, but only if he's doing well. 

That's a significant "if."

We know Tolle & Bennett will need some rest. Maybe we pair one up with Bello and  let him pitch 2-3 IP for 4-5 starts in a row. Giving them a 2-3 start total rest may work better, but they could get rusty. I could see us spreading it out by skipping 2-3 starts here and there, or going to a 6 man rotation, but then they stay on the 26 FT, and it doesn't solve the 13 man staff logjam.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

17 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We know Tolle & Bennett will need some rest. 

Maybe not as much as we expect.

They're both very large strong humans: 6 foot 6, between 230-250 pounds. There is a chance "smaller" pitchers like Suarez and Early pull muscles because they have to generate more force from their bodies in their own deliveries.

I have no evidence to prove the notion, but there is at least a possibility that dimensions -- however inflated in PR guides -- could affect longevity.