Breslow's belief in Boston fueling Trade Deadline plans
Ian Browne
@IanMBrowneDENVER -- It’s interesting to note that even after a 1-5 road trip coming out of the All-Star break, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow doesn’t seem to feel any less enthused about his Red Sox than he did a week ago.
The Sox have four games left before Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline -- three of them this weekend at Fenway Park against the Yankees and one against the Mariners on Monday.
Barring everything going completely off the tracks in those four games, Breslow expects to be buying rather than selling.
Heading into Thursday’s off-day, the Red Sox (54-47) are six games back in the American League East and one game behind the Royals (56-47) for the third Wild Card spot.
The 1-5 road trip wasn’t as bad as it looked, record-wise, because the Sox could easily have gone 4-2 -- if not for three late-inning meltdowns by a bullpen that has been solid most of the year.
“It’s quite clear that we haven’t had the best start to the second half,” Breslow said. “I also think it’s really difficult to read too much into the individual games. Now, if these start to become a trend, then the question we have to ask ourselves is, ‘What do we think we’re capable of in the second half?’ But I’ve maintained for a week or so now that the conversations we’re having are about trying to improve the club. In a perfect world, we can improve it in 2024 and beyond. If someone were to reach out and make an offer that would blow us away, it would be foolish not to listen.
“But the conversations right now are about improving the team. I think these guys have played really hard and we’ve put ourselves in a position where the postseason and playing meaningful baseball down the stretch is a reality for us. That’s where we want to be. I think being in a position where improving the team is the right decision to make is a great spot to be in.”
That said, what do the Red Sox need? Three areas stand out.
Starting pitching
The front four of Tanner Houck, Nick Pivettta, Kutter Crawford and Brayan Bello is a group the Sox are reasonably confident in. The fifth spot has rotated between Cooper Criswell and Josh Winckowski. Boston is vulnerable if it gets another injury in the rotation, and that’s why adding another starter figures to be Breslow’s top priority before Tuesday’s Deadline.
Lefty James Paxton -- designated for assignment after beating Boston on Sunday -- could fit like a glove because he is familiar with the clubhouse and the training staff after spending the 2023 season in Boston. If the Sox were willing to trade high-end prospects, they could make a run at Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal. Garrett Crochet of the White Sox, Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson and Tigers righty Jack Flaherty are other pitchers who figure to be on the market.
Bullpen help
Losing key right-handed setup men Justin Slaten and Chris Martin to right elbow injuries at the same time was the catalyst to the rough trip coming out of the break. And closer Kenley Jansen didn’t go to Colorado due to a pre-existing heart condition that gets exacerbated by high altitude. While Jansen will be back in action on Friday night, there’s no set timetable for Slaten and Martin to return. Also, Liam Hendriks had hoped to be back from Tommy John surgery by the Trade Deadline, but he’s likely at least a month away from returning at this point.
Expect Breslow to be aggressive in his pursuit of bullpen arms. Angels closer Carlos Estévez, Tigers left-hander Andrew Chafin, Rays closer Pete Fairbanks, Nationals righty Kyle Finnegan, Blue Jays righty Trevor Richards and Marlins lefty Tanner Scott are pieces that could fit.
A right-handed bat
The Red Sox have struggled against left-handed pitching this season because several of their best hitters are left-handed. The loss of Trevor Story’s right-handed bat is something Boston hasn’t really recovered from. Though Story thinks he might play at some point, it won’t be any earlier than September. And even that could be a long shot. Who could be this year’s Steve Pearce?
Perhaps Toronto’s Justin Turner, the clubhouse leader and best clutch hitter for the 2023 Red Sox? White Sox outfielder Tommy Pham is another former Sox player who could fit. Though Giants designated hitter Jorge Soler hasn’t had much of a season so far (.697 OPS), he ripped 36 homers for the Marlins in ‘23 and could be dangerous at Fenway.