MLB Rumors: Braves trade grade, Cardinals trade bait, Red Sox selling
By Mark Powell
MLB Rumors: Are the Red Sox buying or selling?
Rafael Devers, for one, demands the Red Sox buy at the MLB trade deadline, but it’s not so simple for Chaim Bloom.
“We would like them to reward us with a few good players coming in before the deadline. I think that’s something we’re looking forward to,” Devers said.
That’s a respectable way for the Boston star to go about his business. Whether Bloom agrees, however, is another question entirely. As well as the Sox have played over the last month, are they a World Series contender as constructed? And if not, are they merely one or two pieces away? Considering Bloom let Xander Bogaerts walk this past winter, it appeared at that time he was taking over a retooling of sorts.
Boston has proven him wrong. As it pertains to the Red Sox expiring assets, though, Bloom faces a taller task.
Alex Verdugo, for one, is under contract through 2024. However, he’s been mentioned in trade chatter dating back to last week.
“Honestly, I don’t care. I don’t care,” Verdugo said Sunday. “Whatever happens, happens. I really don’t care about that stuff. I’m here playing, I’m with the Red Sox. I thought the same thing when I was with the Dodgers. I thought I wouldn’t get traded and I ended up getting traded. This isn’t my first time and I feel like once you get traded, you don’t care. You don’t care.”
Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported the Sox are listening on Verdugo, a player Alex Cora called the best defensive right fielder in the majors just last week. He’s making just over $6 million this season, and should receive far more in arbitration this offseason.
But is that really worth trading him away?