The Boston Red Sox were one of the most aggressive teams in all of MLB in the offseason. Chaim Bloom wants the team to pursue another World Series and they didn't hesitate to spend big bucks to build a contender.
Fast-forward to today and they've flirted with the bottom of the division more often than not. Needless to say, the front office might as well lose their patience sooner rather than later.
While the Red Sox's offense has turned the page as of late, they're still playing .400 ball. If that doesn't change soon, they could look to offload some of the big names on their payroll before their contracts expire.
With that in mind, Red Sox insider Owen Crisafulli put together a list of three potential trade candidates.
Nathan Eovaldi has been one of the few bright spots in the Red Sox's rotation this season, even though he was hit badly on his last outing.
His season numbers are somewhat misleading and there should be plenty of interest in his services if the Red Sox don't turn things around soon. He can walk away as a free agent at the end of the season, so moving him makes sense:
"Eovaldi’s contract is up at the end of the season, and if the team proves to be unable to win baseball games, they may be better off trading him for prospects while they can," explained Crisaffuli. "Assuming Eovaldi can continue to pitch well over the next two months, he could have some significant value considering how high his ceiling is."
J.D. Martinez is one of the best hitters in the game, and certainly the best in the Red Sox. He's hitting .333 with five homers thus far, but he's not getting any younger.
Martínez is on an expiring deal and is 35 already, so even though he's been great for Alex Cora's team, moving him makes sense if they continue to struggle:
"If the Sox continue to lose throughout the season, it may be best for them to try to dump Martinez off to a contender for a prospect or two. Martinez has said he wants to finish his career in Boston, but with the way things have been trending recently, that may not be plausible," wrote Crisafulli.
And last but not least, we find arguably the best player on their roster. Xander Bogaerts didn't agree to a contract extension and could opt-out at the end of the season. And, while he's always said he wants to stay with the team, we've seen crazier things happen:
"Remember, the Sox have Trevor Story locked up to a long-term deal now, so that plays an important part in this equation too," Crisafulli wrote. "Trading Bogaerts would be an extremely aggressive move from the front office, and they would almost certainly have to be 100 percent positive that they wouldn’t be reaching an extension with him if they were to move him."
Trevor Story's presence and Bogaert's value make this possible. But whether it'll happen or not is yet to be seen.
