Red Sox: Building the ideal trade deadline for Boston

The Boston Red Sox need to have a perfect trade deadline because they are in the best division in baseball.

After an awful start to the 2022 season, the Boston Red Sox have come back into playoff contention. Through May 15, they were 13-21 and in last place in the American League East but since, they are 35-22, which is the fifth-best record in the sport.

However, they still are in third place in the AL East and are still in need of some upgrades before the August 2 trade deadline.

Here are two trade that the Red Sox should make and one move that they need an AL East rival to do at the trade deadline.

The Boston Red Sox trade for Chicago Cubs OF Ian Happ (and the Yankees don’t)

The Chicago Cubs could look to trade outfielder Ian Happ and if they do, there will be a lot of teams that would be interested in him. One of them should be the Boston Red Sox, who don’t have a single outfielder that has been above league average offensively.

Happ primarily plays left or center field so with the Red Sox, he would play center field but he can also  play some of the infield positions.

Happ is an All-Star this year and he has hit .280/.373/.456 with an OPS+ of 132 with nine home runs, 41 RBI, and 23 doubles.

If the Red Sox traded for him, it would also prevent the Yankees from trading for him (in an obvious upgrade over Joey Gallo).