With lower than two months earlier than pitchers and catchers report back to JetBlue Park, the Red Sox have a roster that also has big holes and lacks a transparent path ahead in a proficient American League East.
The prime free brokers are off the board and except the Sox make a surprising commerce during which they lastly half with their much-coveted prospects so as to add an affect big-leaguer, they’ll as soon as once more discover themselves within the uncomfortable place of being picked to complete in final place.
They presently rank twelfth in MLB in projected payroll and 18th in projected WAR, per Fan Graphs, all main us to ask a query that years in the past would’ve by no means appeared logical: are the Sox truly attempting to win?
The query have to be requested once more after this weekend’s report from the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, who mentioned the Red Sox are listening to commerce presents for Chris Sale.
At first it sounds ridiculous — why would the Sox commerce one among their few high-profile gamers remaining, and one who, whereas a strolling harm threat, stays some of the proficient gamers on the roster?
Teams which are critical about competing don’t commerce these gamers.
Teams which are in the midst of a rebuild, seeking to shed wage and attempting to get youthful do commerce these gamers.
And there’s little question about it — the Red Sox may very properly win a Sale commerce, so long as he’s prepared to waive his no-trade clause, which, paradoxically, would doubtless require the crew to persuade him he’s extra more likely to contend for a title elsewhere.
The Sox may snipe one or two proficient prospects or pre-arbitration large leaguers whereas keep away from paying Sale $25.6 million a yr for the following two years.
Trading the lefty isn’t truly a horrible thought — it might be an excellent one.
It’d must be well-executed, and given the best way the Sox have blundered with latest trades involving Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi and Hunter Renfroe, it’s exhausting to belief they’d pull that off.
And it’d must be introduced actually by a franchise that has refused to be sincere concerning the route the crew is heading.
There’s no disgrace in admitting that the crew goes via a transition.
Insisting that your membership is competing for a World Series title yearly is a daring purpose and one that’s hardly ever real looking.
The Yankees haven’t had a shedding season since 1992, however successfully used 2013-16 as bridge years to rebuild and reload. The Braves did the identical factor, first in 2006, then once more in 2013 on their method to staying a dominant pressure within the National League East. The Dodgers have made the playoffs in 10 straight seasons after shedding some unhealthy contracts and resetting from 2010-12. And the Cardinals, some of the constant groups in baseball, use two or three seasons as soon as a decade to reshape their roster and discover a new wave of expertise.
Even the most effective and most aggressive franchises within the sport want bridge years.
The solely distinction with the Red Sox is their insistence that nothing has modified on Jersey Street, that they’re persevering with to function the identical approach they at all times have and that they’re reputable contenders in a league that’s filled with extra proficient rosters.
The actuality is that the Red Sox aren’t significantly shut. They aren’t one or two acquisitions away, not except these acquisitions are elite gamers that merely don’t exist on the free agent market proper now.
As presently constructed, the beginning lineup goes to wrestle to attain runs.
Masataka Yoshida ought to give them a viable leadoff hitter for the primary time since Betts was nonetheless on the roster and Rafael Devers is pretty much as good of a two-hole hitter as anybody within the recreation.
Beyond that? The lineup lacks punch.
Trevor Story and Triston Casas should keep wholesome and have breakout years to energy an offense that in any other case merely doesn’t look threatening.
Alex Verdugo has confirmed to be a mean outfielder with solely occasional stretches of above-average play. Kiké Hernandez crushes lefties, however has been mediocre in opposition to right-handed pitching.
And that’s actually it.
The beginning rotation has potential however it’s younger and relying closely on Sale and James Paxton to bounce again from injury-plagued seasons.
The bullpen truly appears prefer it might be a energy with newcomers Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen, however they’re each signed on two-year offers that will make them very straightforward to commerce for prospects in July, when the Red Sox will doubtless be out of playoff competition.
Manager Alex Cora and his teaching workers are good bets to get the most effective out of the roster that Chaim Bloom offers them, and it’s actually attainable they might flip a below-average crew right into a crew that, for a month or two, appears like a playoff crew.
But within the large image, this roster isn’t set as much as win this yr.
Barring a shock, Devers will head into free company primed to make $300 million-plus subsequent winter. And the Red Sox can be within the midst of a extra apparent rebuild course of.
So, again to the query: ought to the Sox commerce Sale?
Here’s a greater one: why shouldn’t they?
Source: www.bostonherald.com