Red Sox reportedly looking to address two key needs at trade deadline
BOSTON -- Craig Breslow hasn't publicly shed much light on his plans for the MLB trade deadline, but the Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer has apparently picked a lane. The Red Sox are looking to add at two key areas of need by July 30, according to one report.
While Alex Cora has been begging for the team to add at the deadline for a while, Breslow has been non-committal on the team's approach. He promised to "pick a lane" recently, and reportedly has a road map charted out according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic.
Breslow is looking to add both a veteran starting pitcher and a right-handed power bat, via Bowden.
"I expect they'll fill both of those needs by the deadline," he wrote of Boston in his trade deadline breakdown for all 30 MLB teams.
With the Red Sox currently holding a one-game lead for the third American League Wild Card spot heading into the final series before the All-Star break, it appears Breslow has been given the green light from ownership to add some payroll at the deadline. That should greatly help the overachieving Red Sox as they continue their push for October baseball.
While the Red Sox rotation started the season strong and Tanner Houck is getting ready for his first All-Star appearance, the staff could use another reliable arm to make sure the likes of Houck and Kutter Crawford don't burn out down the stretch. The need for another starter has been exacerbated a bit due to the struggles of Brayan Bello.
Starters rarely come cheap on the trade market, and Breslow and the Red Sox will have plenty of competition when it comes to adding to the rotation. But there will be several intriguing arms available, including Toronto's Yusei Kikuchi (a rental with a 4-8, 4.00 ERA and 1.273 WHIP this season), Tampa Bay's Zach Eflin (5-6, 3.99 and 1.117), and Chicago's Erick Fedde (7-3, 2.99 and 1.132 for the lowly White Sox). Old friend Nathan Eovaldi could also find himself on the block if the sub-.500 Rangers decide to sell, and the two-time World Series champ needs no introduction to Boston fans.
Adding a bat could be a little more complicated since Boston's DH spot is pretty much occupied by Masataka Yoshida, who is swinging the bat much better as of late and carries a big price tag.
The Sox could use some more pop at second base, and Tampa Bay infielder Isaac Paredes would be a nice fit with his .263/.365/.464 slash line and 15 homers on the season. Toronto's Bo Bichette could also be on the move, but he has struggled mightily throughout the season and is set to make over $17 million next season.
While the targets may be unclear, the lane the Red Sox have picked for the deadline is coming into focus.
