From mlb.com
Alyson Footer, editor/moderator: Let’s start with the Red Sox. Are they sellers? They seem to be quickly fading, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have to just get rid of anyone hitting free agency soon. Also, as I look at the list of pending free agents, I can’t help but think of how many of them have contributed to the team being outscored 55-8 in the past three games. They aren't really the "blow-it-up" type of organization. What should/will they do?
Jon Paul Morosi, reporter, MLB.com/MLB Network: The Red Sox absolutely should be listening on Xander Bogaerts, but not Rafael Devers. That's a conversation for this coming offseason and next year.
Mark Feinsand, executive reporter: Boston is one of those eight bubble teams I wrote about this week, and frankly, I don’t think we’ll know their course until a day or two before the Deadline. I think J.D. Martinez could be dealt, because he’s not in their future plans, but Bogaerts could either bring back a nice prospect or two, or he could be given a qualifying offer after he opts out.
Devers is most definitely an offseason topic. If Bogaerts leaves, I would expect the Red Sox to extend Devers.
Morosi: If you move Bogaerts, you acknowledge that you're not a likely World Series contender this year -- which is the reality. They aren't.
Feinsand: If chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom decides to go into full sell mode, then Martinez, Bogaerts and Nathan Eovaldi should all be on the move.
Morosi: In many ways, Red Sox fans are the perfect group to understand the virtue in an "express sale" -- as long as it's done correctly. They've seen how quickly fortunes can change -- witness the 2013 World Series title following the 2012 calamity.
They also know what a World Series champion looks like -- and they realize that the 2022 Red Sox do not match that description, at least based on their current form.
Feinsand: Chris Sale’s latest injury was the sign that 2022 just isn’t going to be their year.
After this recent 1-9 stretch, I think Red Sox fans would be at peace with a bit of a reset. But they have to do what it takes to extend Devers. If they lose both Bogaerts and Devers -- without adding another huge bat in the process -- that won’t go over well in Boston.
Morosi: Let's put it this way: If you ask Red Sox fans if they'd rather (a) miss the playoffs but extend Devers by Opening Day or ( win one playoff round, lose in the Division Series, and not extend Devers, I believe they'd overwhelmingly choose option (a).
I've long believed that, at this time of year, front offices welcome a sense of clarity. What has transpired with the Red Sox has given them clarity, though not in the way they hoped.
Feinsand: By now, I would think that the Red Sox know what it will take to bring Bogaerts back. If they don’t think they’re going to be willing to do that -- and my guess is that they won’t -- then they have to trade him.