Alex Mayes

Jim Bowden of The Athletic published a piece on what he's hearing with ten days until the trade deadline. In it, he noted that the Red Sox are still discussing Jarren Duran with other teams, but they don't feel as though they have to trade him. He further notes that the Padres and Phillies have been connected to Duran, and the front office would like to receive a starting pitcher or a first baseman in return, if the deal is right. Like has been mentioned before, the Padres don't match up well with the Red Sox unless the Sox were willing to take back an expiring contract like Michael King, Dylan Cease, or if a third team were to get involved—Bowden mentions the Marlins and Edward Cabrera—then it's possible a deal could get done. What may command more attention than the trade rumor though, is that the team feels that their best outfield lineup is Wilyer Abreu in right, Ceddanne Rafaela in center, and Roman Anthony in left. In the long-term, this is the strongest outfield the team can run out on a nightly basis as it is centered on young talent with high ceilings. Duran's future in Boston is even cloudier as he's 28 years old and not viewed as a full-time DH candidate. What do you think? Should Duran be the odd man out in the outfield if the Sox do decide to trade away pieces from the major league roster? Sound off in the comments below! View full rumor

The Boston Red Sox are firmly in the thick of the playoff hunt as the second half of the season gets underway, even following a series loss to the formidable Chicago Cubs. They have an incredibly difficult second half schedule to overcome, but they’ve proven in recent weeks that they are able to win games with both their offense and their pitching. Even with some players on the roster emerging as legitimate stars, the team needs to be active on the trade market. Just how active is anyone’s guess though. In his first trade deadline last year, President of Baseball Operations Craig Breslow made deals on the fringes of the major league roster to try and put the team in a position to make the postseason. He failed pretty miserably. Now, in 2025, Breslow has the firepower to pull off trades that can make the Red Sox surefire postseason players. While we don’t have access to Breslow’s specific player wishlist, the four names below should be squarely at the top of it. Edward Cabrera The Red Sox have been linked to Cabrera in the past, but that was before he found his footing as a starter in 2025. Now, he’s pitched to a 3.61 ERA with 86 strikeouts and a 3-4 record over 82 1/3 innings. Breslow has said he prefers controllable pitchers over expiring deals and Cabrera checks that box. He’s still arbitration eligible and won’t reach free agency until 2029. That being said, he won’t be cheap. He strikes people out at a 24.8% clip, and his walk rate (8.6%) and ground ball rate (45.5%) are encouraging. He’s considered day-to-day with an elbow injury at the moment, so there could be a bit of concern about his health, but that could help to make him a bit cheaper as the deadline approaches, too. Cabrera isn’t the prototypical No. 2 type starter that the Red Sox have been connected to, but honestly, the team likely doesn’t need to add a co-ace at the deadline. That’s something that can be saved for the offseason when those types of names become available more often. Lucas Erceg Erceg also fits the controllable profile that Breslow has identified in the run-up to the trade deadline. He won’t reach free agency until 2030, so he’d be expensive for that alone, not even including his dominance on the mound. Luckily for the Red Sox, the Royals are in need of outfielders and Boston has a plethora of them to pick from. He’s an elite set-up reliever and would help prevent the rest of the bullpen from being overtaxed as the season moves through the summer months. His 2.09 ERA would rank him second among all qualified relievers on the roster, behind only Aroldis Chapman’s 1.18 mark. Erceg is an off-speed specialist who would slot in nicely right in front of Chapman, or another closer we’ll get to in a second, as the Red Sox look to close out games on a high note. He induces a ton of ground balls, currently ranked in the 95th percentile according to Baseball Savant, and with the infield defense taking a step forward with Marcelo Mayer shifting to second, he could be a monster in Boston. Ryan Helsley There’s a bit of a caveat with Helsley, because if the Red Sox were to acquire him, it would likely mean that Chapman has been dealt in a different trade. If the team is looking to capitalize on Chapman’s value, this should be the play they make. Helsley is a year removed from being an All-Star, and though this season doesn’t seem to be a repeat of last, he’s still a dominant closer. The other downside to Helsley is he’s not a controllable arm like Breslow wants. He will become a free agent at season’s end, so it’s entirely possible the Sox are fine to wait for that to happen and sign him when they wouldn’t have to give up prospects and other assets to land him. Helsley is working with a 3.27 ERA on the season, and while that’s not an improvement over what Chapman is doing, Helsley is younger and would be far more deserving of an extension than a reliever having a career resurgence at age 37. Christian Vazquez The final name here isn’t flashy, but it fixes a glaring problem on the roster. It’s no secret that Connor Wong shouldn’t be long for this team. He’s underperformed more than anyone else on the roster this year, and the backup catcher role has to be addressed at the trade deadline. Sure, you’d like to see a bigger name than Vazquez in the conversation, but he's an upgrade over Wong that wouldn’t cost a ton. He’s slashing .167/.236/.247, so he’s perfectly at home in a backup catcher role, and coming back to Boston could be just the thing that sparks him to add just a bit more offensive firepower to his game. He’s beloved in Boston and would be an incredible mentor for Carlos Narvaez throughout the remainder of the season. Vazquez is a free agent at the end of the year, so the long-term back up catching plan still wouldn’t be crystal clear, but bringing Vazquez back to Boston would help to send him off into the sunset on a high note in front of fans that adore him. He could likely be had on an incredibly cheap contract for next season if he decides to stick around, too. There are a ton of different ways the Red Sox could go as the trade deadline approaches, but being buyers in some capacity is the correct path forward. The four names listed above would be win-now additions, while some would bolster the team for the future at the same time. If the team looks to capitalize on the value that some rostered players have, they are going to have to supplement the team as those names are traded away. We haven’t seen Breslow make a plethora of trades so far in his role as the President of Baseball Operations, but this season feels like the perfect time to make a handful of high-impact additions as the team prepares to be contenders in October in 2025 and beyond. View full article

As the Red Sox are firmly entrenched in one of the toughest parts of their schedule, they are keeping an eye on some big name starting pitchers who could be available as the trade deadline approaches. It couldn't come at a better time with both Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello turning in less than stellar starts against the Cubs and Tanner Houck being placed back on the injured list instead of being activated. According to Bob Nightengale, the Red Sox have sent scouts to Arizona to watch starters Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. Both starters would surely help bolster a starting rotation that can struggle behind Garrett Crochet at times. Craig Breslow has stated that he prefers controllable starters at the deadline while both Gallen and Kelly are free agents at the conclusion of the season but if the team is in 'win now' mode then either option makes sense even on a rental deal. Gallen is having a down year with a 5.40 ERA. Kelly looks a bit more stable with a 3.34 ERA but he is in his age 36 season. What do you think? Should the Red Sox be interested in acquiring either Zac Gallen or Merrill Kelly? Sound off in the comments below! View full rumor

After the Red Sox came screaming into the All-Star break on a ten-game winning streak, reality set in that the team would begin the second half of the season against some of the stiffest competition they’ve faced all year. They open the second half against the NL Central-leading Cubs, travel to face the NL East-leading Phillies, then get the NL West-leading Dodgers to kick off their first second half homestand. The Red Sox typically play up to the competition in front of them and historically play the Cubs to a .500 tune, a 14-14 record, and completely dominate the Phillies (52-35 all-time record). The Dodgers have a winning record against the Sox, 14-10. Second Half Schedule That doesn’t quite tell the whole story, though. According to FanGraphs, the Boston Red Sox have the most difficult schedule moving forward. After the first three series to start the second half, the Red Sox play the Twins (47-49 on the season), the Astros (56-40), and then they get a bit of a break against an underperforming Royals team, with a record of 47-50. The schedule lightens up a bit towards the end of August and they see the lowly Athletics twice through September, so there’s a few series left on the schedule where we should see the same team that dominated both the Nationals and Rockies in back-to-back series sweeps. The second half is loaded with talented teams though, so if the Red Sox hope to make a run at the World Series, as some national pundits have stated recently, they are going to have to make sure their offense continues to click while their pitching staff stays healthy at the same time. So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance… According to FanGraphs, the Red Sox are still projected to come in third in the division. They are projected to finish the season with 84.8 wins, behind the Blue Jays’ 88.2 and the Yankees’ 89.3. FanGraphs gives them a 11.1% chance to win the division with just a 5.2% chance to clinch a first-round bye. The team is moved up to second in the division to clinch a Wild Card spot though, coming in at 44.8%, just behind the Blue Jays at 46%. Should they make the World Series, FanGraphs currently gives them a 2.8% chance to win the whole thing. Those are incredibly long odds, but anything is possible if you make it to October. The Division IS Within Reach The Red Sox currently have a 20-13 record against the AL East in 2025; currently, they are 4-3 against the Orioles, 5-1 against the Yankees, 3-7 against the Blue Jays, and 8-2 against the Rays. The O’s are all but eliminated, and the Rays may completely slip out of playoff contention, but if we focus on the Yankees and Blue Jays, the Red Sox are playing .500 ball. They’ve embarrassed the Yankees in two series and have looked completely listless against the Jays. We know that the team will likely see both of these teams come October, and that could present a couple of issues down the road, but both the Yankees and Blue Jays are beatable teams, even if Boston's record against the Jays doesn’t show that so far. The Jays have always played the Red Sox incredibly well, so it’s not shocking to see that record, but it also coincides with the pitching woes of June. A well-rested and healthy starting rotation and bullpen can easily turn the tide against the (current) best team in the AL East. If things hold as they were when the All-Star break began, the Red Sox will see the Seattle Mariners in the Wild Card round. The Rays, Rangers, Angels, and Twins are all currently sniffing around the third Wild Card spot held by the Mariners, so things could change fairly quickly as the second half gets underway. If the Sox keep winning, the first Wild Card spot is easily up for grabs — the team currently sits just one game behind the Yankees for it — and if they are in contention for that spot, then there’s reason to believe they could make a run for the AL East title still. That’s something I didn’t think I’d be saying just a few weeks ago, but this team has shown more heart and grit in the past two and a half weeks than they have all year. The front office seems committed to improving the team, not only for the future, but for this season too as the trade deadline approaches. If the team is willing to go all-in, then fans should be ready to jump aboard the bandwagon with them. View full article

President of Baseball Operations Craig Breslow has identified both starting pitching and first base as positions the team would like to address as the trade deadline approaches. We’ve already addressed some options for the starting pitcher market here, but the first base market is something entirely different. After the Triston Casas injury early in the season, there was expectation that the Red Sox would have to be in the market for a first baseman if they hoped to remain in the playoff hunt. Very few believed that utility player Romy Gonzalez would step into the role full time, and then Abraham Toro was called up after Gonzalez hit the injured list with a hip contusion. After Gonzalez returned from his stint on the IL, the Toro/Gonzalez platoon at first clicked and helped propel the team to where they are now. There’s some belief that this platoon could carry the team all the way through the postseason as well, which isn’t a crazy thought if both men keep performing at the rate they currently are. Add in the fact that Kristian Campbell is splitting time at first and second at Triple-A Worcester, and the future picture becomes even more muddled. And that’s not even factoring in Blaze Jordan and Vaughn Grissom, both also drawing time at the cold corner in Worcester and playing well. If the Red Sox are still intent on adding a first baseman at the deadline, it looks like the rental market may be their best bet. Let’s take a look at three possible rental candidates the team could target even if they begin to fall out of contention as the deadline draws closer. #3: Carlos Santana, Cleveland Guardians Santana is having an okay year on a team that looks like they will miss the playoff picture by a few games. He’s currently slashing .230/.326/.353 with 10 home runs and 38 RBIs. He’s a dependable first baseman, currently ranking in the 95th percentile for Outs Above Average on Baseball Savant. Santana could offer a strong veteran presence in the clubhouse and be another person for the young core to lean on as they grow into the sport. His numbers have ticked down over the last three years, which is understandable as he’s currently 39 years old. If the Guardians are interested in letting Santana go as he approaches 40 and hopes to get something in return for him, it likely wouldn’t cost much from the farm system to get him to Boston. #2: Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers The Dodgers may look to get something for Muncy instead of letting him walk for free with their third-ranked prospect, Alex Freeland, waiting in the wings to take over third base. If that’s the case, the Red Sox could look to add Muncy’s pop into the lineup. He’s currently slashing .250/.375/.457 with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs, the latter of which is good for 17th overall in MLB. His OBP of .375 ranks him ninth in the National League. Adding a hitting of that caliber would be a signal that the Red Sox are going all-in on this season and think they have a shot to come out of the American League. Out of his 13 home runs, Muncy has hit 10 of them at home. Putting his home spray chart over Fenway park adds three more to his total. That’s not a ton, but could likely be the difference in a few of those one-run games the team kept losing at the onset of the season. Muncy, nearly 35, is currently on the injured list with a knee injury, but it's just a bone bruise. He should be back in short order, and his $10 million team option* for next season will probably look a lot more attractive to clubs that don't have a huge luxury tax bill awaiting them. *Yes, this means Muncy technically isn't a "true" rental, but since there's no buyout on the club option, he can become a free agent with no additional cost. #1: Josh Naylor, Arizona Diamondbacks Naylor comes in with the best slash line of the three players listed here at .294/.361/.462. He’s played well for an Arizona team that’s been hanging out on the fringes of the playoff picture in a stacked NL West, but they could look to unload him if they don’t make more upward movement in the NL Wild Card chase. Where Naylor could really come into play for the Red Sox is if the Sox are interested in acquiring another pending free agent playing in the desert, Zac Gallen. A package deal of both Gallen and Naylor would add depth to the two position groups the front office has targeted for the team and likely puts them in contention for the top Wild Card spot, if not the AL East title. Truth be told, the first base rental market is abysmal outside of Pete Alonso, and he’s not going anywhere. If the Red Sox are dead set on acquiring a first baseman who can actually contribute for quite some time, they need to look beyond the rentals. Sure, if the team is out of contention at the deadline and needs to take on bad contracts to get good prospects who can contribute in the next couple of years, then sure. If this team is still firing on all cylinders, though, they would be better served to keep riding the Toro/Gonzalez hot hand or look to acquire someone like Matt Olson, but that’s a name for a different article entirely. Breslow has commented publicly that the Red Sox are in the first base market, but we just aren’t sure what route that looks like yet. If it’s through rentals, they'll be left picking from a relatively weak market. View full article

Alex and Maddie jump into the ten-game winning streak to close the first half of the season and welcome back Masataka Yoshida and Alex Bregman. Then they discuss just how difficult the second half of the season will be before making some trade deadline predictions and figuring out which of the outfielders is the most likely to be moved. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-talk-sox-podcast/id1783204104 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qPrPXEngu0CxgTmlf0ynm Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-talk-sox-podcast-244591331/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/4tmd121v Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talksox View full article

Earlier this season, Brayan Bello looked lost. He started the season with two wins in April, striking out seven between starts. He allowed four earned runs while walking six and striking out seven. Things took a very sudden downturn for him two starts later, though. In the month of May, Bello had six starts going 0-1 and only getting out of the fourth inning once. During May, he gave up 13 earned runs, three homers, 16 walks, and 22 strikeouts. There was talk of if he needed to be sent down to Triple-A to try and reset while building his workload up so he could go deeper into games. Even as the biggest Bello fan you’ll meet, I was starting to wonder if he could ever reach the ceiling that had been bestowed upon him by Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez two short years ago. Then, the calendar flipped to June and we suddenly saw a brand new pitcher. Bello entered June after posting a 4.03 ERA the month before. In June, Bello had five starts and still tallied more losses than wins, a 1-2 record, but suddenly he was going deeper into games while his strikeout numbers ticked up and his walk numbers plummeted. That month, his lone win came on Father’s Day against the Yankees when he hurled a masterclass over seven innings; Bello walked only 10 while striking out 23. His WHIP fell from 1.69 to start the month to 1.44 at the end. What’s most impressive, though, is he took this giant step forward against teams in the playoff hunt. He shone against the Rays, Yankees, and Giants. He kept his head afloat against the Angels while the team was underperforming all around him. He somehow turned in a quality start against the Blue Jays after being lit up to begin the game to close the month. Don’t put too much stock in his June win/loss record—it’s far more on the offense’s ability to not produce runs than Bello giving up no more than three earned throughout the month. Bello posted a 2.87 ERA in June, bringing his season-long ERA to 3.41. Even if the offense failed to pick him up most of June, you could see that he had figured something out and it was working well for him. Now in July, Bello is shining even brighter. Against the Reds he only went five innings, but he gave up one hit and one earned run. His strikeouts dipped to three, but he walked only one in that game. Unless you weren’t paying attention, Bello’s second outing in July should serve as his coming out party. On July 8 against the Rockies, Bello threw his first complete game. He was tagged for a two-run home run in the top of the ninth by Hunter Goodman on a cutter that just didn’t cut. We all had hoped that he would toss a complete game shutout, but even after surrendering the home run, Bello didn’t look shaken. He toed the rubber and went after the next hitters. Before that, Bello looked every bit of a playoff-caliber starter you would want him to be. He notched 10 strikeouts against only one walk. In the second, he struck out the side and posted five of his 10 strikeouts in the first two innings. This was by far the most aggressive start we’ve ever seen from Bello and if he continues pitching with that type of attitude, the top of the rotation will look solid for years to come. Brayan Bello had a ton of pressure placed on his shoulders before the 2024 season when he signed an extension and was the Opening Day starter. He’s admitted that he thinks that pressure caused him to slip and stumble multiple times throughout the season. This year, though, Bello seems to have found his footing and firmly entrenched himself as the No. 2 option in the rotation behind Garrett Crochet. There’s been a lot of talk about the front office wanting to bring in another top-tier starter to help bolster the rotation at the deadline, and it’s needed, but bringing in someone of that caliber serves to take even more pressure off of Bello, which should allow him to find an even higher gear to operate in. He may never be the true No. 1 starter that the team envisioned him to be in 2024 but if he’s pitching like this out of the third spot in the rotation, the Red Sox are going to be in a very good place as we start looking toward the postseason. View full article

July is always one of the most interesting months in the baseball season. As of this writing, we are two days away from the All-Star break and there has been constant news swirling around the Red Sox since the month began. Notably, a report came out on July 7 stating that approximately a dozen teams were interested in acquiring Jarren Duran. While not surprising that teams are in on him with how he’s performed lately, we received some more detailed news on Friday, July 11 saying that the San Diego Padres have been “relentless” in their pursuit of Duran and have approached the Red Sox multiple times about trading for the left fielder, per MassLive’s Sean McAdam. Alongside the Duran news, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic offered up some pointed remarks about the Red Sox trading their biggest free agent signing of the offseason, Alex Bregman. In short, don’t expect it to happen. Let’s take a dive into both rumors and see what they could mean for the team moving forward. Jarren Duran is the Padres’ Big Target Last month, I wrote about how the Red Sox and Padres didn’t match up super well on a deal for Duran. As of this writing, I still don’t disagree, but with the report coming out that the Padres have approached the Sox repeatedly trying to acquire Duran, that has to mean that they are willing to overextend themselves to land him. If that’s the case, get the deal done. On July 10, ESPN’s Jeff Passan published his ‘Top Moves for Contenders’ piece where he identified Duran as the best match for the Padres, due to their lack of having a capable left fielder on the roster. In that, Passan assumes that the Padres’ top prospect, shortstop Leo De Vries, is off-limits in trade discussions but mentions their second ranked prospect, catcher Ethan Salas. Salas would be a huge get for the Sox, but one that doesn’t fill a pressing need for the team since the emergence of rookie Carlos Narvaez has more or less filled the backstop position for the near future. He does make a point to say that the Padres could involve a third team or make a number of their top-tier relievers available in a potential deal for Duran while noting that San Diego is “willing to go places most other organizations would never consider.” We’ve seen the Padres get creative to bring in players they covet before, so if they truly want Duran, Breslow and the rest of the front office may be fine playing the waiting game with them to force the Padres’ hand and land the players and prospects they feel can be contributors in Boston for seasons to come. Alex Bregman Hopefully Isn’t Going Anywhere Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden reported on July 9 that if the Red Sox and Alex Bregman didn’t come to an agreement on a contract extension before the deadline, the third baseman could be traded to the Mariners, Brewers, or Tigers. A mere two days later, Bowden’s co-worker at The Athletic refuted those claims as aforementioned. Rosenthal rightfully brings up the question of, in a deal of Bregman, what would the Red Sox be hoping to get in return? The team needs a No. 2 starter and bullpen help more than anything. While Bregman would net a decent return, he’s not getting you high-leverage arms alone given his age and contract. The Sox could pay down a bit of the roughly $13 million that he’s owed over the remainder of the season to help increase the return package, but you’d likely be looking at prospects coming back to Boston. Right now, that’s not what the Red Sox need to push their chips to the center and go all in. Rosenthal says that the rumors of Bregman being shipped out at the deadline are preposterous. Good. Bregman is a leader in the clubhouse and seemingly the go-to advice guy for rookies Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. He was playing out of his mind at the time of the injury and will be looking to return to form as the Red Sox seem to finally be figuring out how to play consistent, winning baseball in a post-Rafael Devers world. Having him around through the rest of this season, and the rest of his career, would bode well for the future of the franchise. Trading him for pennies on the dollar is shortsighted and makes the team far less likely to be competitive down the line. As the weekend kicks off, expect more rumors and "leaks" to start showing up on your social media feeds. It may subside slightly during the beginning of the All-Star break, but it will kick into high gear immediately after the Midsummer Classic ends. Don’t be surprised to see Jarren Duran traded across the country, though I think we’d all be shocked if Alex Bregman played for another team this season. What do you think of the latest round of rumors surrounding the Red Sox? Let us know in the comments! View full article

Carlos Narvaez barely made a blip on most fan’s radar when the Red Sox traded for him during the offseason. He was seen as a backup option for Connor Wong who would see playing time once or twice a week at best. Oh, how wrong we all were. Narvaez has been arguably the brightest spot in the lineup most nights and took over the starting catcher role from Wong after Wong fractured his pinky on a catcher’s interference call early in the season. A growing portion of the fan base, myself included, began talking about how Narvaez likely would make the All-Star team in his rookie year with the club. Once the full lineups came out on Sunday, July 6th, we learned that Narvaez had not been chosen. Even still, he’s playing All-Star caliber baseball and should continue to be someone that the fans can put their faith in as we dive into the dog days of summer and beyond. So far in 2025, Narvaez has played 561.2 innings. In those innings, he’s proven just how valuable a stellar defensive catcher is to an organization. He’s currently in the 98th percentile in both blocks above average and caught stealing above average. His framing ranks in the 91st percentile and his pop time comes in at the 79th percentile. The catching portion of his Baseball Savant page is red hot. He’s calling phenomenal games behind the plate and it’s clear that the entire pitching staff trusts him when he’s behind the dish. While his pop time is the “weakest” part of his game, it’s nothing to laugh at. When someone takes off from first, he’s up quick and throws a strike across the diamond. Narvaez ranks third amongst all catchers in the league in fielding run value (FRV) with 10, behind Patrick Bailey with 12 and Alejandro Kirk with 14. All-Star starter Cal Raleigh comes in with a two, but he’s in the Midsummer Classic for his offensive dominance more than anything. On offense, Narvaez is currently slashing .272/.350/.434 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs. While the batting section of his Savant page is more blue than red, he passes the eye test with flying colors. He has some holes in his swing, no doubt, but he always seems to come through when the team needs him most. Just remember back to the gem of a game he called against the Yankees at Fenway with Garrett Crochet on the mound. Late in the game, Aaron Judge tied the game at one all and who walked it off? That’s right, Carlos Narvaez. What points to Narvaez being the catcher of the future, though, is that it never seems like the moment gets too big for him. Much like the other rookies on this team, he seems very confident when he steps into the box or has his gear on behind the plate. On offense, we can just look back at that walk-off against his former team. It’s fair to say that most rookies, when put in that situation, would have rolled that pitch over or swung over the top of it. Instead, Narvaez put it in the air and banked it off the Green Monster for the win. That was not an easy pitch to get to—it was high and outside. On defense, he’s made more heads up plays this season than anyone would have expected. Be it calling the right pitches and locations in tough situations, throwing back picks to first and third to get extra outs, or catching would-be base stealers. Carlos Narvaez was snubbed from the All-Star game, but he’s putting up numbers that are befitting of a selection. Instead of heading to Atlanta to play in that showcase, he’s going to get some days off to rest and recover. This should mean that he returns to his full offensive potential as the team exits the break and tries to make a run at the postseason. If Narvaez is playing well on both sides of the ball post-break, there’s no reason to think the Red Sox can’t make some noise in a jumbled American League as the postseason starts to appear on the horizon. View full article

While the Red Sox have been starting to heat up at the plate, the rumor mill is getting hot right along with them. According to G.G. on Twitter, there are roughly 12 teams interested in acquiring Jarren Duran as the trade deadline approaches. He also provides additional information in the tweet. While we’ve known that the Padres have been inquiring about Duran, he confirms in the replies that the Twins are also one of the teams that've been interested in the former All-Star MVP. He also notes that he doesn’t expect anything to happen before the draft or All-Star break, but puts the chance that Duran is moved at around 60% while maintaining that nothing is currently close, so there’s no reason to freak out…yet. With multiple offers made and rejected in the last 48 hours, it’s worth keeping an eye on as we head into the week. Who do you think is in the mix for Duran? Would you even consider trading him at this point? Sound off in the comments below! View full rumor

Yeah, that road trip immediately after the break is going to be the deciding factor in whatever the team decides to do in my opinion. Last year the hot streak started against the Phillies and Yankees so it stands to reason they could play them well again this year, but the Cubs are a very good team that seem to be getting hotter right now.

Weekly Snapshot: Record Last Week: 5-2 (Overall 46-45) Runs Scored last Week: 43 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 22 Standings: 4th in the AL East 6.5 GB 1st Place 2 WCGB Scores: Game 86 (6/30) BOS 13, CIN 6 Game 87 (7/1) BOS 5, CIN 3 Game 88 (7/2) BOS 4, CIN 8 Game 89 (7/4) BOS 11, WSH 2 Game 90 (7/5) BOS 10, WSH 3 Game 91 (7/6) BOS 6, WSH 4 Transactions: 6/30/25: Red Sox optioned 1B Nick Sogard to Worcester Red Sox: 6/30/25: Red Sox activated RHP Jordan Hicks from the 15-day injured list. 6/30/25: Red Sox activated 3B Marcelo Mayer from the bereavement list. 7/01/25: Red Sox sent LF Masataka Yoshida on a rehab assignment to Worcester Red Sox. 7/02/25: Red Sox recalled RHP Cooper Criswell from Worcester Red Sox. 7/03/25: Red Sox optioned RHP Cooper Criswell to Worcester Red Sox. 7/04/25: Red Sox sent RHP Tanner Houck on a rehab assignment to Portland Sea Dogs. 7/04/25: Red Sox LF Masataka Yoshida on a rehab assignment to Portland Sea Dogs. 07/05/25: Red Sox sent RHP Hunter Dobbins on a rehab assignment to Portland Sea Dogs. TL;DR Breakdown/Highlights Reds Series: Wilyer Abreu mashes, even if they don’t leave the park. He hit three home runs, including one grand slam and one inside-the-park homer in the series against the Reds. Abreu is really coming into his own this season, and this Red series may serve as his coming-out party. If he can keep his power constant throughout the rest of the season, the team may not miss Rafael Devers nearly as much as initially thought. Errors ultimately gave away the final game of the series, as the Red Sox struggled with communication and throwing issues, allowing the Reds to stave off a sweep. What the Red Sox did incredibly well during this series, though, is keep Elly De La Cruz from making any sort of impact. He had 14 plate appearances during the series with only two singles, one run, one RBI, one walk, and three strikeouts. He hit .154 for the series, the lowest average on the Reds for those three games. If the Red Sox can limit impactful at-bats from big-name superstars, it should bode well for them moving forward. Offensive outbursts seem to be the trend of late for the Sox, pushing them to win games even when errors and bullpen meltdowns make the margin of victory much thinner. Nationals Series: Trevor Story continues his hot hitting in the Washington series, contributing four RBIs. He’s been the hottest hitter in baseball over the past week and doesn’t appear to be cooling off anytime soon. Those four are tied for second on the team with Ceddanne Rafaela, both behind Jarren Duran’s five. Speaking of Duran, he bailed out Walker Buehler with a fantastic catch in left field that should have tied the game. If Duran can turn in defensive performances like this consistently, the Red Sox would likely have to think a bit harder about potentially moving him as the trade deadline approaches. Or at least get a larger return than they could have last week. The second big story of the series, though, is Rafaela. He took a bit of a tumble in the second game and was pulled as a precaution, but he was fantastic over the weekend. He seemed to come up in big situations and put the ball in play each time. He has seemed a lot more confident at the plate, and he confirmed that in his postgame comments on Sunday. He understandably didn’t make the All-Star team this year, but if he can keep this up, then we’re looking at a perennial All-Star on a steal of a contract. Random Stats: 6/30-7/6 Slash Lines: Good weeks: Trevor Story: .524/.545/.952 Wilyer Abreu: .313/.389/.875 Ceddanne Rafaela: .316/.350/.737 Jarren Duran: .300/.364/.650 Bad weeks: David Hamilton: .182/.250/.182 Nate Eaton: .167/.167/.333 Rob Refsnyder: .200/.200/.400 Connor Wong: .250/.250/.250 Connor Wong had a 32 wRC+ on the week and was still somehow surpassed by David Hamilton’s 20 wRC+. Trevor Story posted a 318 wRC+, almost a full 100 points higher than Wilyer Abreu’s second-place 239. Abraham Toro’s walk rate led the team this week with 13%, while Story was once again the lowest at 4.5%. Roman Anthony had the second-hardest hit balls on the team with 10. He was behind, you guessed it, Trevor Story. Website Highlights: The Red Sox Are Trying To Build A Super-Defense. How Close Are They? By Finley Rogan 3 Underrated Draft Prospects the Red Sox Should Consider With Their First Round Pick by Billy Mock FanGraphs’ Top 45 Red Sox Prospects List Makes Multiple Interesting Calls by Nick John Looking Ahead: July 7 - Rockies at Red Sox - 7:10 pm EDT July 8 - Rockies at Red Sox - 7:10 pm EDT July 9 - Rockies at Red Sox - 7:10 pm EDT July 10 - Rays at Red Sox - 7:10 pm EDT July 11 - Rays at Red Sox - 7:10 pm EDT July 12 - Rays at Red Sox - 4:10 pm EDT View full article

As we approach the trade deadline, more and more members of the Boston Red Sox are starting to appear on lists of trade candidates. To kick off July, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden published an article after talking to 40 MLB executives and compiling a list of players they think are most likely to be traded. Sitting atop the list of relievers is none other than Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman. As we all know, Chapman has had a career resurgence since coming to Boston, and if the Red Sox were to trade him at the deadline, he would command a large return package. The last time he was dealt, in 2023, the Rangers sent left-hander Cole Ragans and minor-league outfielder Roni Cabrera. Ragans has turned into a top of the rotation piece for the Royals. At the time of the trade, Chapman was sitting on a 2.35 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 29.1 innings pitched. Currently, he’s sporting a 1.29 ERA with 51 strikeouts and 15 saves over 35 innings pitched. There are plenty of playoff teams that need late-inning relief help, with a few of those desperate for a proven closer. Even if the Red Sox are in contention come the deadline, it may be wise to send Chapman packing to help replenish the talent at both the major and minor league levels. Here are three rumored trade destinations for the 37-year-old closer, and how likely they are to be Chapman's next home. #3: New York Yankees Talk about coming full circle. I’ll be honest, I don’t see this trade happening, but out of all the teams currently in the playoff hunt, the Yankees present as a good option for Chapman. They traded for Devin Williams during the offseason and that hasn’t panned out in their favor at all. Then, they declared that Luke Weaver would be their closer moving forward at the end of April, and he has pitched pretty well. He currently has eight saves to go along with his 2.12 ERA in 29.2 innings pitched. New York could be interested in reacquiring Chapman to give them a playoff proven option as the postseason draws near. They won’t have to search very hard to find just how dominant Chapman can be once the calendar flips to October. His career ERA with the Yankees sits at 2.94 and should he continue this run of amazing baseball, another half season in the Bronx could drive it even lower. In reality, don’t expect the Red Sox to send such a valuable piece to their biggest rival, especially if they don't plan on tanking in the second half, but Craig Breslow has proven that he’s not afraid to make deals that cause waves. I also couldn’t see the Yankees sending any players of value to the Red Sox. They have no pitching that is pushing for an MLB spot. Ultimately, the fit here is better on paper than in practice. To get the Red Sox to help their biggest rival, the Yankees would have to surrender legitimate prospects with long-term potential. Considering Chapman's shaky reputation in New York, this profiles more as a fever dream than an actual possibility. #2: San Francisco Giants Breslow could stand to pick up the phone and give Buster Posey another call, as Chapman would be an improvement over the closer-by-committee that the Giants are currently employing. The closer with the most saves, 13, for the Giants is Camilo Doval, who has a 3.03 ERA and 38 strikeouts over 38.2 innings. Second in saves is Ryan Walker (10), but he’s sitting on a 4.64 ERA with 30 strikeouts over 33 innings. The Giants are in a very similar situation to the Red Sox, likely sitting too far out of contention to win their division, but in striking distance of the final wildcard position. Doval may be better suited as a set-up option after he posted a 6.00 ERA in June. Adding someone of the caliber of Chapman to the back of their bullpen would likely push them ahead of a team like the Cardinals in the race. While Bryce Eldridge and Hayden Birdsong are likely still off-limits, pulling a top ten prospect from them probably isn’t out of the question if multiple teams are in on Chapman. The Giants have two pitchers in their top ten currently at Triple-A, so it may be feasible for the Red Sox to bolster their pitching depth while sending Chapman to the Bay Area. The good news is both teams are intimately familiar with each other's systems after that trade. It's not normally advisable to go back to the same well that just poisoned you, but the Giants are an obvious fit for Chapman. #1: Philadelphia Phillies Chapman to the Phillies makes far too much sense. They’ve had four pitchers notch saves for them led by Jordan Romano with eight, Matt Strahm with five, Orion Kerkering with two, and Tanner Banks with one. Romano currently has a 7.28 ERA, while Strahm sits on a 3.67 ERA, Kerkering a 2.41 ERA, and Banks a 3.60 ERA. While Romano leads the team in saves, he went the month of June without adding one to his total. Strahm added three to his total in June, Kerkering added two, while Banks was also shut out. It’s clear the Phillies are operating by a closer-by-committee with two pitchers who are better served in set-up and middle relief roles in Strahm and Kerkering, while Romano and Banks clearly don’t have the trust of anyone making decisions. As longtime Boston fans know, Dombrowski will wheel and deal as much as possible as he tries to improve his roster, and the closer position is in desperate need of improvement. Top prospect Andrew Painter is likely off the table in discussions, but the Red Sox should be incredibly interested in Philly’s number five prospect Mick Abel. Abel has been part of the rotation in Philadelphia since early June. He’s been knocked around lately—his most recent appearance came on July 2 and he only lasted 1 2/3 innings where he walked five while giving up five earned runs. His ERA has shot up to 5.04 in six games. That being said, he’s incredibly young and he’s going to have some growing pains at the big league level. Bringing him in and pairing him with Garrett Crochet would give Abel another young, sky’s the limit type pitcher to lean on. If Painter would be on the table, then sure that’s the direction you’d go. If he’s not though, a pivot to Abel would be an incredibly bright move for Breslow and company. Would Chapman be enough straight up for Abel? Not a chance. A package of Chapman and Duran ,though? Dombrowski would be salivating at the chance to bolster his closer position and make a fairly significant improvement in the outfield. Breslow needs to be on the phone with him often trying to get this deal done, even if it would cost more than our proposed package here. Even if the Red Sox don’t fall completely out of contention as the trade deadline quickly approaches, flipping Aroldis Chapman for young, controllable pitchers is the best step forward. There are enough other closer types internally for the team to replace him for the rest of the season, and it’s possible that Jordan Hicks could find his footing as a closer again. Either way, Aroldis Chapman is going to be the hottest reliever on the market, and the Red Sox need to take advantage of their fortuitous market position. View full article