The city of Minneapolis The last few hours prior to the trade deadline are usually when the great majority of the activity surrounding the deadline occurs.
With minimal action in the days preceding Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline, that appears to be more true this year than usual.
With 48 hours remaining, an official from a different team said the Red Sox were in stealth mode.
I volunteered as an executive with another club, but I haven’t heard much from them.
The Red Sox are still searching for pitching assistance and other roster additions, despite this. However, they seem to be doing it quietly.
What we know is as follows:
*Edward Cabrera and Sandy Alcantara are two of the Miami Marlins’ more controllable starters. Someone with knowledge of the discussions claims that when the Red Sox called ten days ago to ask about Alcantara’s availability, they appeared to be saying, “Don’t move him without checking back with us.”
However, the Marlins and Red Sox haven’t communicated much since. The high asking price for any pitcher, who, according to a source, starts with two great prospects, could be the cause of it.
*The Red Sox are reportedly interested in Tampa Bay first baseman Yandy Diaz, who would provide the team with both a right-handed batsman and a run-producer.
Whether the Rays are willing to cut any key players from their roster is less clear.
One executive with a team that has been in contact with the Rays stated, “I keep hearing they might be soft-selling, whatever that means.” Neither I nor them are aware of whether they are buying or selling.
The fact that the Rays moved one catcher (Danny Jansen) and then acquired another (Nick Fortes) in a different transaction is more proof of their indecision. While negotiating for some of their own pitchers, they have also asked about other pitchers. Chris Paddack was reportedly targeted by Tampa Bay before being traded to the Tigers by Minnesota.
*The Red Sox have very little chance of acquiring a controllable starter. There aren’t many starters left with more than a year of control, and because there isn’t much pitching inventory available in the first place, the demand is quite high.
Alcantara, Cabrera, MacKenzie Gore, and Joe Ryan would all fall within that category.Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller has apparently been contacted by the Red Sox.
I believe that some of these general managers have simply decided to set the asking price ridiculously high and are waiting to see whether there is someone desperate enough to meet it, based on my observation of an executive with one NL side.
*The Red Sox are primarily concerned with pitching both starters and relievers, so finding a catcher might not be their top priority.
If nothing else, the Red Sox would prefer to acquire a second catcher who they could use more often than Connor Wong, if only to give starter Carlos Narvez a break.
Narvaez has been slumping at the plate and behind it for the past few weeks, and he appears worn out. Narvaez was slashing in his last 15 games prior to Tuesday.In his last 53 at-bats, he has a 170/.214/.358 batting line with 15 strikeouts.
Christian V. Zquez of Minnesota would be welcomed back. He wouldn’t be expensive.
*Teams with established closers occasionally trade for other closers to use them as set-up players.
Eric Gagne (2007) and Billy Wagner (2009) did it for the Red Sox. Gagne didn’t work out as well as Wagner did.
Several well-known closers are currently available, like as David Bednar of Pittsburgh, Ryan Helsley of St. Louis, and Jhoan Duran of Minnesota. Emmanuel Clase of Cleveland was also on that list until MLB suspended him on Monday due to his alleged involvement in a gambling investigation.
Even though they are looking to enhance their bullpen, the Red Sox don’t appear to have been interested in any of these relievers as of yet.
