The Boston Red Sox are in great shape entering the second half of the season. The Red Sox currently have a 53-45 record and are in the second AL Wild Card spot. A current 10-game winning streak has Boston three games back of first place in the AL East.
The AL East will be up for grabs during the final stretch of the season between the Red Sox, New York Yankees, and the Toronto Blue Jays.
With the MLB trade deadline two weeks away, the Red Sox are looking to improve their team heading towards the final stretch of the season.
Joe Ryan backup plans for the Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are looking to improve their pitching at the trade deadline. One pitcher that the Red Sox are interested in acquiring is Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins. Ryan had a perfect outing in the MLB All-Star game and has a 2.72 ERA with 121 strikeouts. Ryan has a 9-4 pitching record on the season for the Twins. In the All-Star game on Tuesday, Ryan struck out two batters and allowed no hits in the fourth inning.
Ryan would be a strong addition to the pitching rotation trio of Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello, and Lucas Giolito. The Red Sox have the potential to win the AL East and make a run in the postseason, and the addition of Ryan would only improve the chances of Boston accomplishing those goals.
Adding Ryan to the Red Sox rotation will also help Boston's pitching moving forward, especially amid the struggles of Walker Buheler. Some of Boston's best postseason teams in year's past have been known for their dominant pitching. Will the possible addition of Ryan cause similar past luck if the Red Sox clinch a spot in the postseason?
A solution at first base with a rival's help
The Red Sox are also looking to potentially improve their offense at the deadline. Abraham Toro is the current starter for the Red Sox at first base, but Boston might upgrade at the position with a trade.
Ever since the Tampa Bay Rays were swept by the Red Sox at Fenway, their playoff chances have taken a big hit. It has even caused them to reevaluate how they want to approach the trade deadline and if selling players is the best option moving forward.
If that's the case, one player the Red Sox could trade for is Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz. Diaz has recorded 53 RBIs and 14 home runs this season for the Rays with a batting average of .285. Diaz would be a reliable option for the Rays at first base if it's a deal that the Red Sox want to make.
The Rays have completely sunk their chances at the postseason lately. Tampa is 1.5 games back at the of the final AL Wild Card spot, so keeping Diaz is more likely than the Red Sox landing him in a deal.
Baltimore Orioles All-Star first baseman Ryan O'Hearn, Washington Nationals' Nathaniel Lowe, and Arizona Diamondbacks' Josh Naylor are also other possible targets for the Red Sox at first base.
Red Sox reunion chatter heating up?
Pitcher Joe Ryan isn't the only player from the Twins that the Red Sox could go after at the deadline. The Red Sox have expressed interest in a reunion with Twins catcher Christian Vazquez. This season with the Twins, Vazquez has recorded nine RBIs and two home runs with a .170 batting average.
Vazquez played eight seasons for the Red Sox before he was traded to the Houston Astros in 2022. If the Twins were to trade him, it would likely be in a salary dump. Vazquez's success in the postseason would provide a huge benefit for the Red Sox's division title chase and beyond. Vázquez is a two-time World Series champion, winning with the Red Sox in 2018 and the Astros in 2022.
The Red Sox's current starting catcher is Carlos Narvarez, who has been better statistically this season. Narvaez has recorded 31 RBIs and eight home runs this season for the Red Sox. He also has a .273 batting average and an OPS of .786. If this is a move that the Red Sox want to make, it'll be interesting to see how Boston utilizes both catchers in their lineup.