The Boston Red Sox are two games below .500 and trying to figure things out. The big, bad AL East has turned into something of a one-team sandbox. The Yankees continue to roll despite their own shortcomings, with none of the other teams feeling particularly close. The 23-25 Red Sox are in second place, effectively tied with the 22-24 Toronto Blue Jays. New York has a five-game stranglehold on the division.
Boston really needs to address their deficiencies on the mound, but this is otherwise a complete roster with a ton of proven talent — not to mention a deep farm system. What might help Boston get back on track, especially after the season-ending injury to Triston Casas, is a turn to the youth.
Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony are still with Triple-A Worcester, but it feels like a matter of time until both are on the big-league squad. The challenge is finding a spot — especially for Anthony, who's stuck behind Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela in a deep outfield. Might a trade be the path forward?
Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe has a doozy in mind. He believes the Red Sox and the Houston Astros, two underperforming wannabes in the AL, may be able to help each other out.
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This Red Sox-Astros trade would clear the way for Roman Anthony in Boston
The basics of Abraham's trade pitch are simple: Send Wilyer Abreu or Jarren Duran to Houston in exchange for Isaac Paredes. That allows Boston to slot Paredes in at first base while moving Anthony into the vacant outfield spot. The Astros, meanwhile, can move Cam Smith to his natural third base and boost the outfield with either Abreu or Duran.
"The Astros are in dire need of lefthanded hitters to create better lineup balance," he writes. "General manager Dana Brown has said the team is willing to discuss trades at this point of the season. Houston likely wants more of a platoon player. But maybe Brown would be willing to make a more significant trade for Wilyer Abreu (a former Astros prospect) or Jarren Duran."
It's certainly a fun hypothetical.
Odds are, Boston would only consider this trade for Abreu, as Duran feels like a cemented long-term staple in the clubhouse. Abreu has been Boston's hottest bat for long stretches this season and he's a wizard in right field, but there's a case to be made for taking on Paredes, whose .806 OPS and seven home runs would look mighty good at first base in Beantown right now.
This feels lopsided in Houston's favor, but Paredes is still 26 years old. He has an All-Star nod under his belt and he does address a position of need — not to mention the benefits of adding another right-handed slugger behind Devers and Bregman. If the Red Sox are confident in Anthony's ability to perform right away, then it's almost a two-for-one trade, with Boston adding a pair of impact bats to the lineup with a single move.
Now, there are complicating factors. Casas will be back at some point next season to reclaim first base, at which point Boston would need to figure out Paredes' position. He won't bump Bregman off of third, should he choose to return to the Red Sox. Devers already made the move to DH. Put Paredes at second, and what happens with Kristian Campbell? If Paredes mucks up the infield depth chart, then what is the long-term path for Mayer? These are questions Boston would need to consider.
For those reasons, I am skeptical that Breslow would take this particular route. There will be cheaper and less evasive ways to address the first base issue, even if the end result isn't as immediately potent as Paredes. Boston can also find other, more creative avenues to calling up Anthony, even if it means platooning him or simply benching Rafaela.