The Boston Red Sox have found themselves in a tricky situation that doesn't appear to be getting any easier.
With a record of 22-30 on May 26th, the Red Sox have put together one of their most disappointing starts to a season in recent memory, yet find themselves just three games back of the Wild Card in an American League that has just five teams over .500.
After losing Alex Bregman in free agency, Craig Breslow was able to salvage what seemed like a solid offseason, pivoting to free agent Ranger Suarez to bolster an already deep starting rotation after landing Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras in trades from St. Louis.
Boston looked to be a solid contender that would lean on elite pitching and defense to win games in the regular season and eventually when it counted in the playoffs. The one question with their roster coming into the season was the clear lack of power, and despite various reports stating that Breslow was interested in adding a big right-handed bat to pair with Contreras, they never pulled the trigger on a substantial move.
Through the first two months, this roster construction has played out to the tune of two absolute extremes. The Red Sox have been one of the best defensive teams in baseball, leading the league in defensive runs saved by a wide margin and ranking third in outs above average and runs prevented.
Paired with a pitching staff that has a combined 3.75 ERA and 4.06 FIP, it seems unlikely that the team would find themselves below .500 and in last place in the AL East. The issue is, they can't hit.
The Red Sox average 3.73 runs per game and rank dead last in runs and RBI and second to last in home runs. The inability to consistently produce offense was predictable, as many were desperately calling for the front office to add a power bat. But to the extent that a team with some of the league's best pitching and defense has been clipped to a below average ballclub is surprising.
Now with June less than a week away, it becomes difficult to shake the identity a team has set for themselves over the first two months. For the Red Sox, who have an outsized pressure to win and compete now, it seems the only way to effectively do that this season is to look for external help.
On Saturday, The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reported that they are doing just that. McCaffrey wrote that "Boston’s front office has been making calls and canvasing the league to see what might be available," specifically noting that they are "looking to add any offense in general, with a preference for a right-handed bat."
McCaffrey's piece positions the Red Sox in the same place they were this offseason, but with many of the attractive options now unavailable. Astros infielder Isaac Parades, whom the club was indelibly tied to considering the two teams compatible infield/outfield logjams, is now likely off the table now that Carlos Correa is out for the season. It also hasn't done the Red Sox any favors that Jarren Duran, who is the most obvious candidate to be moved out of the outfield surplus, has had a terrible start to the year batting just .193 with a .613 OPS.
Just one day after McCaffrey's report, USA Today's Bob Nightengale published an article that detailed the San Diego Padres' strong interest in 38-year-old reliever Aroldis Chapman. Nightengale did not provide insight on whether the left-handed closer was going to be made available by the Red Sox, but he did add that he believes the club "should" be sellers at the deadline, also noting Duran as a piece to move off of.
Chapman, who has been superb in Boston with a 0.51 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 12 saves this season, does fit the mold of a player that would be traded at the deadline by a selling team. If the Red Sox do commit to this direction, Chapman is not the only candidate.
36-year-old hurlers Gray and Danny Coulombe would also be attractive at the deadline and could net some valuable prospects. If they went super aggressive selling, Breslow would likely be able to land a haul for Contreras, who has 11 home runs and an .899 OPS this year.
But as McCaffrey's report indicates, Boston seems more likely to buy than sell, looking to address their glaring weakness and hope that an addition paired with the returns of ace Garrett Crochet and young slugger Roman Anthony will be enough to make a postseason push. With such strong pitching and defense and a wide-open American League, it's hard to say that it isn't possible, but risking another year of mediocrity with nothing to show for it in terms of postseason success or additional pieces for the future is certainly a difficult decision to make.
It is still early, both for trade deadline talk and for definitive statements about any team's postseason outlook. But with June rapidly approaching, it is reasonable to start thinking about what the Red Sox will have to do to get themselves out of trade rumor purgatory.
