The Boston Red Sox have found themselves in a tough spot, but they may not make many trade deadline as they have multiple players set to return from the IL.
The Boston Red Sox face the uphill battle that has been the AL East in 2023. As of today, they sit tied for last place in the division, but their record is good enough to rank first in the putrid AL Central. Talk about bad luck.
But even with the uphill battle they face, they could find themselves in the right position to make the playoffs this season, if they make the right moves. Boston's currently just a handful of games behind the Blue Jays for the third AL Wild Card spot.
They could kickstart that journey up the standings by making improvements to these three players on their roster.
Red Sox rumors: Joely Rodriguez has no place on the Red Sox roster anymore
Every baseball fan that keeps up to date around the trade deadline each year knows that relief pitching is one of the most important pieces to upgrade in order to make a playoff push. Having a bullpen that is solid from top to bottom and allows the team to lock down games after the starter is taken out is an invaluable asset to have. Boston has some good options at the end of games, but they are far from a deep bullpen.
They will look to be quite active at the trade deadline if they're serious about making a playoff push. When acquiring relievers, the first of their bullpen to be replaced would be the southpaw, Joely Rodriguez.
Rodriguez is a veteran in the game but has shown his value in the Red Sox bullpen has gone from little to negative after a terrible first couple of outings. He's been hit all over the place while also struggling to find the strike zone on occasion.
The Red Sox will look to improve on him without having to empty their farm system either. He's been much better recently, but his level of overall performance isn't up to par for Boston or for a playoff push. Look for the Red Sox to return a player from the IL or trade for a piece to replace Rodriguez.
Red Sox rumors: Jorge Alfaro will lose his roster spot when Reese McGuire returns from IL
Out of all the moves on this list or in the Red Sox media, this one is the most obvious and makes the most sense. For the better part of the season, Connor Wong has handled the catching responsibilities for Boston. But any baseball fan knows just how important depth is at the catching position. The wear and tear of baseball is bad on any player's body and mind, but that is just intensified for backstops.
The Red Sox have seen this firsthand as they have been missing their backup catcher for the last month with an oblique strain. This has resulted in Jorge Alfaro receiving the move to their backup catcher spot and he has been horrendous for the Red Sox. So far, he's slashing .163/.217/.326 on the season, split between two teams. This upgrade is a no-brainer, and the upgrade will be coming to Boston shortly.
The most likely option is to return Reese McGuire from the injured list. McGuire is planned to start a rehab assignment on Tuesday and if all goes well, he'll be back with the Red Sox in the near future. There is an outside chance that, if there's an injury to Wong or a setback with McGuire, Boston pursues a catching option at the deadline. Only time will tell, but none of these options see Jorge Alfaro staying on the roster for more than another week or two.
Red Sox rumors: Yu Chang's time in Boston will come to an end when they get healthy
In order for Boston to kick things up another level, they're going to need a healthy, reliable lineup that is able to compete with the pitching staffs at the top of the American League. This dream lineup doesn't have anybody hitting in the .100s in it. But as of today, not only does Yu Chang find his way onto the roster, but he often finds himself receiving at-bats while hitting well below .200 for the year.
He should be the first player to go in the overhaul of moves that Boston could make. The Red Sox have never been shy to making moves at the deadline and they could be in the market to make another one this year. This offseason may come with more drastic moves with the current state of their division though, but only time will tell.
Boston could be in the market for a veteran infielder like the Reds Kevin Newman. A player like Newman wouldn't cost an arm and a leg to acquire, yet he would provide a much-needed upgrade at depth in the infield. Whether Chang is replaced by a trade deadline acquisition or when Boston's Pablo Reyes returns from the IL, Chang shouldn't survive the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline.