Inbox: Should J.D. move up to three-hole?

What will the Red Sox do with Jackie Bradley Jr. and why not move J.D. Martinez up in the order to the third spot?
-- @dvaughny
At this point, manager Alex Cora is trying to give Bradley enough playing time so he can right himself at the plate. Without question, that would be the best-case scenario. If it doesn't happen soon, here are the different options: They could turn him into a backup, and have Mitch Moreland play first base every day, with Hanley Ramirez moving to designated hitter and Martinez moving to the outfield. They could option Bradley to Triple-A Pawtucket and let him work out his struggles in a less pressurized environment. Or they could trade him at a time his value is low.
Per your suggestion about moving Martinez up in the lineup, the way he is hitting right now, I would keep him right where he is. Ramirez had a strong April in the No. 3 spot but a tough May. I think it's too soon to give up on him batting third.
Could we see Rusney Castillo soon? Bradley just simply cannot hit at the professional level, and if the bottom third of the lineup could get things going, this team would be unstoppable
-- @MikeLavML
The luxury tax implications are significant by putting Castillo on the 25-man roster, which is why I believe he will stay at Triple-A regardless of what happens with Bradley. If the team decides to stop giving Bradley playing time, it can simply make Moreland an everyday player.
How do the Red Sox rate the catchers regarding pitch calling? What are the catchers' reps in this area?
-- @jpc19671
I'm not sure you can have a metric for this, because a lot of times, the catchers are deferring to the pitcher and what they want to throw in a certain spot. And what if a catcher puts down the right sign, and the pitcher mislocates the pitch? The main thing is the scouting meetings before every series when they go over all the hitters on the opposing teams and the best way to attack them. Sandy León has a reputation of being excellent at calling pitches. Christian Vázquez is still evolving in this area. The Red Sox have an invaluable resource in Jason Varitek to work with the catchers on this. Varitek was one of the best at calling a game.

Looking at the Red Sox's lineup, you'd have to think the one position that needs an upgrade is at catcher. So with this in mind, do you foresee president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski trading either Vasquez and/or Blake Swihart in the hope a of adding a more proven bat? I would obviously love to see J.T. Realmuto in a Boston uniform. Could someone like Jonathan Lucroy be a possibility?
-- John B., Houston
If offense is that big of a concern for the Red Sox at catcher, they should probably give Swihart a shot. The team is much more consumed with defense behind the plate, and Cora likes the duo he currently has, and he has expressed confidence several times they will start to hit at an adequate level. Leon has had some good at-bats lately. The hope is that Vazquez will start hitting.
How short of a leash is Drew Pomeranz on? Jalen Beeks, who is ranked the club's No. 15 prospect, might deserve a spot start.
-- @Parsons_RedSox
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Pomeranz needs to figure this out soon, and the Red Sox need to figure out if he is truly healthy. There have been too many starts where Pomeranz hasn't given the team enough innings. One thing they can look at is that the lefty had a similar start last year. The difference is that Pomeranz's velocity wasn't down a year ago, even when he was struggling. Beeks definitely deserves to be the "next man" up the way he has thrown at Pawtucket. The Red Sox are currently mulling when Pomeranz's next start will be. With Monday's off-day, they have the flexibility to pitch him on Thursday, Friday or Saturday this week. Stay tuned.

Are the A's looking to potentially shop Blake Treinen, and the White Sox with Nate Jones? The Red Sox need bullpen help.
-- @getjoesoxon
This market never becomes clear until June at the earliest, and in most cases, July. The Athletics are hanging tough right now in the American League West and AL Wild Card race, so they will evaluate where they are before deciding to off-load relievers who could help them down the stretch. The White Sox will likely be sellers by the non-waiver Trade Deadline, so Jones is definitely someone to keep an eye on.