Fansided

3 trades Chaim Bloom needs to make before the Red Sox season is lost

By David Salituro

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 11: Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after striking out toend the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on May 11, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 11: Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after striking out toend the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on May 11, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Josh Bell #19 of the Washington Nationals in the third inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2022 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 06: Josh Bell #19 of the Washington Nationals in the third inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 06, 2022 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Boston Red Sox trade for Josh Bell to play first base

Josh Bell was an All-Star starter in 2019, a powerful first baseman who knocked out 37 home runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Three years and another franchise later, he seems on the verge of recapturing that form.

Bell is batting .349 with four home runs and 21 RBI in 31 games for the Washington Nationals this season. His .968 OPS ranks second among first basemen, behind Colorado’s C.J. Cron. He has displayed the ability to hit for power to all fields; he’s already homered off Max Scherzer this season and hit a ball from the Angels’ Michael Lorenzen into the rock formation in center field at Angels Stadium last Saturday.

That kind of production has been sorely missing from a Red Sox team that has scored the fourth-fewest runs in the league. Bobby Dalbec displayed some power last season as a rookie, but whatever expectations Boston had for him coming into 2022 have fallen significantly short.

Dalbec has just one home run in 81 at-bats this season and is batting .148. He’s 29th among first basemen in OPS. Bell has 12 multi-hit games; Dalbec has more games with multiple strikeouts, seven, than multi-hit games (three).

The 11-21 Nationals aren’t going to be in postseason contention this season. With Bell in the final season of his contract, he’s a prime candidate to be moved so the Nationals can get something in return. The Red Sox, in desperate need of more offense from the position, could be the beneficiary.

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