Fansided

Grading every team’s World Series chances after the trade deadline

By Brad Weiss

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 24: Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday July 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 24: Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday July 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON – MAY 20: Boston Red Sox player J.D. Martinez high-fives teammate Mookie Betts after hitting a solo home run during the second inning. The Boston Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles in a regular season MLB baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston on May 20, 2018. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON – MAY 20: Boston Red Sox player J.D. Martinez high-fives teammate Mookie Betts after hitting a solo home run during the second inning. The Boston Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles in a regular season MLB baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston on May 20, 2018. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox have been incredible this season, and prior to the games played on July 31, they were sitting in first place in the AL East by six games over the New York Yankees. When you take into consideration that the Yankees are 30 games over .500, it makes their lead in the division that much more impressive.

Boston made a couple of big moves during the trade deadline, including bringing in someone to play second base. They have played the entire season without perennial All-Star Dustin Pedroia manning the position, and have now added former All-Star Ian Kinsler to help this team during their playoff run.

Kinsler was traded to the Red Sox from the Los Angeles Angeles, who while one game over .500, really have no chance in an AL West division that has been owned by the Houston Astros in recent years. The 36-year old is no longer the bat he once was during his prime years, but will provide leadership in the clubhouse.

Another solid move by the Red Sox was bringing in Nathan Eovaldi from the Tampa Bay Rays. Eovaldi has been lighting up the radar guns this season, and will be the No. 4 starter if the team enters a seven-game series during the playoffs.

After the trade deadline ended, it was announced that star left-handed starting pitcher Chris Sale would be heading to the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation. Kind of makes that move for Eovaldi that much more important, and definitely shifts the power in the AL East back to their nemesis Yankees.

Grade: A

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