Red Sox: 1 trade to make and 1 prospect to promote to boost playoff odds
By John Buhler
The Boston Red Sox may need to make a pair of moves to improve their postseason odds.
While the Boston Red Sox are much improved over a year ago, they may need to make a roster move or two to ensure themselves of a postseason berth this October.
Entering Saturday’s home game vs. the division rival Toronto Blue Jays, the Red Sox trail the defending AL champion Tampa Bay Rays by a game in the tight AL East standings. While Boston is 39-25 on the year, and would be hosting the AL Wild Card game if the season ended today, the Red Sox need to do whatever it takes to best position themselves to win the AL East over Tampa.
Here is one marquee player the Red Sox should seriously look at trading for, as well as one top prospect they need to consider promoting within the next few months.
Boston Red Sox: 1 trade to make, 1 top prospect to promote this summer
If Chris Sale cannot return, go trade for Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer
Without question, the most coveted pitcher that will be on the trading block is Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer. The soon-to-be 37-year-old right-hander will be hitting unrestricted free agency this winter. While he could theoretically re-sign with the Nationals, it might actually serve both parties for him to be traded to a contender this summer for a handful of top prospects.
Scherzer is a no-doubt, first-ballot National Baseball Hall of Famer. He is a three-time Cy Young winner during his 14-year MLB career out of Missouri. Though he may have won a World Series as recently as with the 2019 Nationals, Washington has the worst record in the NL East this season. The Nationals also were one of seven NL teams who did not qualify for the postseason last year.
Of course, the Red Sox should only trade for Scherzer if they are certain left-hander Chris Sale cannot give it a go this season. Scherzer would theoretically provide the front-line ammunition Sale would have had if he was healthy. The best part is Boston plays in the opposite league of Washington, which could be a tipping point in the Nationals’ decision to potentially trade Scherzer.
While trading for Scherzer would be nice, the Red Sox may need to promote this top prospect, too.