With 6 weeks until the July 31st hard trade deadline, the Sox have to decide ”buy or sell.” Since the team has played .500 for the first 2 1/2 months, and looks like a steaming pile of mediocrity lately, it’s easy to claim “sell!” But should they?
I know the idea of making the postseason with little chance at a title is unappealing. But 10 teams make the postseason and 9 go home losers. The odds are always stacked against you.
To me, while my opinion is moot anyway, I want them to sell. But sell what?
Porcello is the best of the pending FA crowd. But what’s he really worth in a deal? The best comps from last year’s trade market are Eovaldi (Jalen Beeks) and JA Happ (Billy McKinney and Brandon Drury). All three combined are not some sort of farm-changing haul. The best to expect from a Porcello deal is “rebuilding the bench,” not “rebuilding the farm”.
Mitch Moreland will command even less. And Pearce is a step down from there.
Nunez and Holt will appeal to many team. But the return of “high minors wild card” is the ceiling. Sure, sometimes you get Ty Buttrey. But sometimes you get Williams Jerez. Still, given the returns from some of the infielders (excluding Machado) that changed uniforms last July, these two might be the Sox best trade chips.
The controllable players could be dealt, and for obvious reasons usually yield better results. But I would be surprised if DD moved Bradley or Benintendi, especially since the outfielders in the high minors are practically non-existent. And the idea of blowing the whole team up and dealing everyone after 2 1/2 frustrating months is laughable. If you can’t handle 2 1/2 months of mediocrity, why would you be so gung ho for 3-4 years of sub-mediocre baseball?