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The Sox would be better off with Abreu and having the contract/money expire after 2025, since 2026 will see first year arbitration raises for Crawford, Houck and Duran...

Or better yet, have the Mariners pay the money. You know, since the Giants would probably raise all sorts of questions if asked. Ray might be more productive, but you also have to hold on to him longer. By the time Ray got back on the mound, Abreu's contract would be almost over. So I'm not so sure paying $73mill for maybe a year and a half of Ray is necessarily a better use than paying $39mill for what is left of Abreu. And while you could lessen the pay by having the Mariners kick in some cash, you could also ask the Astros to do the same. There are plenty of other bad deals the Sox could swap Yoshida for that would probably outproduce Abreu, but that doesn't mean they would be smarter trades. The Angels would definitely deal Anthony Rendon for him, for example. But he is owed $115mill through 2026 and hasn't topped 58 games since 2019. A definite pass, even if he does outproduce Abreu and the Angels kick in some serious cash...

Pitcher can certainly give it a run for its money...

Because: 1) Ray is out for the year (and probably half of next year) and therefore an upgrade over no one. 2) Ray has a $23mill AAV, which is about $5mill higher than Yoshida. 3) Ray is owed $73mill on his deal, under the very safe assumption he does not opt out after this year. That amount is more Yoshida is owed. But you are on the same track with Ray in that if they move Yoshida, it will very likely have to be for another bad contract...

They also brought back Cora, and one could argue Dermody is an altar boy compared to him as well. And while they did suspend Brainer Bonaci, I think he is still with the organization. At last on paper. I don't think they released him, did they? But then iortiz' comment was not about why the Red Sox did not sign him; it was why no one has signed him. Especially considering that players like Aroldis Chapman and Marcell Ozuna are still playing today. And Julio Urias was retained until his second offense...

Or saying "this is probably as good as the Sox can do" vs saying something will happen...

I'm pretty sure you are the clueless one...

I think he simply might not be convinced Bauer is guilty of the actions that got him suspended in the first place. That’s all it says about him…

But we all know something there is a chance of - you coming back at some point in the future saying I wanted the Sox to trade for Jose Abreu. Why let a little thing like understanding the point get in the way of an opportunity to be an jackass? It’s happened before. Multiple times…

Any trade that specific is prettt unlikely. But if the Sox want to move Yoshida, a deal like that is probably one of the better options, which isn’t saying much. Yoshida is clearly deep in Cora’s doghouse. And he isn’t going to get any better until he gets out of it. Th is team has an MLB-high 15 players on the IL and is pushing out an infield that wouldn’t cut it in the League of Women Voters, yet Yoshida can’t get off the bench? And Dalbec gets to start? And this isn’t even about defense. The Sox have been trudging out weak pathetic defensive alignments for about 2 weeks now. It’s not like Cora has the 2021 Cardinals out there. Yoshida isn’t a good defender, but neither are Valdez, Hamilton, Dalbec, Reyes and Refsnyder. But they all get to start…

Cheaper than Yoshida. Better than Dalbec.

Does he not know how or does Cora never call him to? I'm not sure that is always Rafaela's decision. He's only made 2 bunt attempts n his brief career. But what does this also say about Duran?. He's even faster, and only has 3 bunt hits in his career (on 9 attempts). You'd think a slumping speedster like Duran might try more often...

The Sox would save money. Abreus is owed $39mill for 2024 and 25. Yoshida is owed $72mill through 2027. Again, if people want to deal Yoshida, this is probably around what the Sox could expect in return. Unless they want to pay the overwhelming bulk of his salary, and therefore miss out on any upside while paying someone else to experience it. Abreu is far from anyone worth targeting, but then, so is Yoshida right now. I mean, the Sox have 15 players on the IL and still aren't playing him. Not exactly a selling point...

Yeah that deal isn’t so much about getting Abreu. That’s actually the least important part of the trade. It’s more about unloading Yoshida. Abreu is probably the best you could get for him right now.

Why would acquiring relief pitchers Jansen and Martin push Ohtani off DH?

This should be an interesting defensive alignment…

The only reason Houston would even think about it is Yoshida looking more salvageable. But ultimately I suspect it’s more likely Abreu gets DFAd before this season ends…

Q: Who bats after Dalbec? A: The other team

So predictable after McGuire dropped the foul tip…

And the Sox are 4-5 in Hamilton starts. They're 0-3 if he comes into a game in which he is not starting, so Cora dodged that bullet today...

Once the pitcher gets past Abreu, the closest thing to an obstacle in the next 5 slots is Reese McGuire...

Not if you can get to that game!!

"But it's definitely not the pitch clock. It's related to velocity and arm angles, as they causing all the injuries. Those are the two factors we have identified. Also, the pitch clock. That's the real culprit."

Think the pitching-starved Angels might be hesitant to take that for the the only good starter they have produced since, well, who was their last one? Want to dump Yoshida? The Astros will probably take him for Jose Abreu. While Abreu is doing absolutely nothing offensively, his EV (87.2) isn't much different than Yoshida's (88.5). The big difference is Yoshida still hits a few line drives, while Abreu is straight up GB/FB. But both players have a similar AAV, and Abreu isonly signed through 2025 while Yoshida is signed through 2027 and then has one arbitration year (which doesn't mean much, as he could easily be non-tendered if he continues to flounder.). With this difference in AAV (Yoshida - $18, Abreu - $19.5), maybe Houston can add a couple million to balance it out. Trade does not work out at all on BTV, as Abreu's surplus value is -29 and Yoshida's is 3.3. Houston has clearly given up on Abreu and might be interested in this deal just to get away from him and clear a patch for James Loperfido at 1B. Yoshida has no clear spot in their lineup, either, but is the much more likely of the two to rebound, given their hitter profiles and recent performances. And the Sox get a struggling (washed up?) 1B one year removed from a 19 HR season. And hey, he is a step up over Dalbec, as the Sox upgrade from Dalbec's -47 wRC to Abreus's -37. Yoshida strikes me as a tough contract to move, but this is one scenario I can see interesting another team...

Standard interview non-answer. I would have been surprised if he gave anything else...