Hugh2

Ok Lets get a little crazy. Trade one: David Sandlin/Mikey Romero/Jhostynxon Garcia/Brayan Bello For Tarik Skubal. Extend Skubal 320/8 Trade two: Jarren Duran/Connor Early for Hunter Greene. BTV projects both of these as moderate overpays by Boston. Sign Bo Bichette 210/7 Rotation: Crochet/Greene/Giolito/Sandoval/(one of Tolle/Crawford/HarrisonDobbins) lineup: C Narvaez 1B. Romney/Casas 2B. Bichette SS. Mayer 3B. Story LF. Anthony CF. Rafaela RF Abreu DH Yoshida/Casas Considerations, without any defferals this puts the Sox about $10 million above the second threshold at $275. I believe they will spend if they think they can win, and when in "win now mode" I think they'd be ok with any threshold that doesn't move draft picks. That number is $284. Packaging a prospect up to move Hicks or Yoshida could always be an option as well if the fit is right. I realize how unrealistic this is, the Sox will be in on players like Skubal and Greene if they're available, but both are a pipedream but I'm hitting the pipe this morning. I think the Sox could turn themselves in WS contenders by just signing Bichette and making a trade for ONE of those pitchers.

If the Sox want to go big sign Bichette and trade for Ryan.

I will always bet on my Sox. except with a lot of real money.

Here’s to hoping the 2026 Boston Red Sox Slay the LA Dodgers in next years World Series

A player that would make a few teams 26 man isn’t exactly a guy who holds much weight in a trade.

The whole point of not signing these guys to these long term contracts is not pay for their past prime years. You try to make 6 years seem like a bargain when we are paying for all of his past prime years. no matter how convinced you’re that Harper will still continue to put up elite stats past his prime (which he’s not now) it doesn’t change the fact that you’re paying for his 33-38 year old years. heck why not find a guy who will sign for 4 years from age 35-38, or maybe 3 years from 37-39 the whole concept to giving guys in their mid 20’s these 10 year+ deals is even if they slow down and return negative value at the end you’re getting them in their prime years. I’m not buying it a bargain when the deal is 4 years shorter but you’re getting all mid 30’s production

I think every GM/POBO is smart enough to not covet DHam

We know DD, also this is kinda where most of MLB is at these days…..he’s going to want MLB talent on the verge of MLB talent in return. Philly is trying to extend their window not rebuild. Tolle/Early will go 100000x further in a trade than Valera/Clarke/Fajardo will

And yet Devers isn’t even on the team anymore. regardless it’s all about risk, I’d be willing to bet Bryce Harper will have more WAR than Roman Anthony by the time they both retire, but I’d rather bet on young talent. Devers was given the money at the time because of his youth. The possibility of a 26 year old maintaining his level of play and even improving it substantially as they go into their prime vs. paying for a guy 33 and up who has performed and expecting him to maintain the same level of play into their late 30’s are two entirely different levels of risk. using Devers as an example as to why the FO would be open to taking on Harper’s years is a false equivalence

Some should pay for a future hall of famer because of what he did and not what he will do? Harper is heading into his age 33 season, and while he still might be a valuable player, why are we confident that a guy who hasn’t exactly been a shinning example of health in his career is going to play at an MVP level? He was 28 when he last won an MVP, he’s likely never that good again. even if he is, the risk of paying a guy between the ages of 33-39 is different that 26-35….hence…my point

BTV accepts that first trade, but it’s an overpay, I doubt the Phillies take less value to get rid of Harper, and a top prospect and sell it to their fan base. BTV rates the trade a fair one if we throw in Dobbins or Early

Devers was 26 at the time, Harper is 33

I mean I know it’s not official yet, but I thought it’s been widely reported that Bregman plans on opting out and Story plans on staying

Oh absolutely, that's pretty much where I'm at and why I would get excited if we signed someone like Pete Alonso. If he earns his way back, it will be thru the DH position, and if Yoshida is hitting then maybe his contract becomes movable, or not? regardless it would be a better problem to have than a roster filled with DH/1B types who aren't hitting.

This is why I want the Sox to go out and get a 1B. I haven't completely given up on Casas yet, but I think you kinda have to a little bit when it comes to roster construction. If he's our first baseman in a few years from now......great. But I think he has to come back healthy and prove and he can stay healthy adding something offensively. I'm perfectly fine with a healthy Yoshida being DH too and as people say, these things tend to work themselves out. For better or worse.

You could go the otherway around and say Hancock Pete.

2 years older? you act like he's a 40 year old, he's literally 25 years old. So he got hurt running 100%, he's a big lumbering man and that's not his game. Someone should tell him that. I meant his 2023 season, after a slow first month he put up a .916 OPS the rest of the way from May 1st on, .953 from June 1st on. He's a slow starter, and if he can't ever stay healthy he'll never reach his potential. But if he can get healthy he has a chance of being a really good hitter. If Casas stays healthy next year, and perhaps that's a big if (and that's fair) he's going to be one of the best hitters on the team if not the best. You don't just throw that guy away when you have him under team control.

Look, I'm not super high on Casas by any means. But he certainly has a much higher ceiling than Yoshida. If he comes back healthy and was the guy he was for most of 2024 then this team has another middle of the order bat. Yoshida simply does not have that in him.

The Sox should have more than 45 to spend, unless of course they're paying Lowe/Hendricks....which ain't happening.

The same money? so you want to give Casas a 16-17 million dollar raise? Casas is under team control. He offers significantly more upside than Casas, but yes if Casas doens't look good or healhty I'd rather have Yoshida as well.

I assume a team that is very young gets better. Not a sure bet, but a good one. And 4th place? 3rd at best? Who assumes a young team flush in talent and more coming up regresses going into the next year?

This is exactly my take as well, I can see why some are a little edgy about that because he started off last season in a slump and got hurt before he ever really got it going. But if Casas comes back healthy, Story of 25 shows up, and Mayer/Anthony are back healthy I think the offense even without any additions could at the very least get a little better. They really should.

Exactly, the separation between his trade value and how good makes him one of the most un-tradable guys on the team.

Ya’ll are nuts for thinking Casas has trade value right now. The upside is in keeping him, but I’d have little issue with the team moving on at first base and letting Casas hit his way back there. of course, that creates a Yoshida issue again

I feel like it would be easier to scout a foreign pitcher than it is a hitter.