With a week until the July 30 trade deadline, could the Boston Red Sox make a stealthy move to bolster their rotation?
Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has been eyeing starting pitching help and a right-handed bat for weeks. While injuries to relievers Chris Martin and Justin Slaten have added urgency to reinforcing the bullpen, these remain secondary concerns.
Recently, Breslow’s former club, the Chicago Cubs, announced their intentions ahead of the deadline, creating intriguing scenarios.
“Cubs President Jed Hoyer made it official today: Barring a big win streak over the next week, anything the team does at the trade deadline will be to help them in future years,” ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported Monday.
This news follows USA Today’s Bob Nightengale revealing Boston’s interest in the Cubs’ top trade chip.
“The Boston Red Sox and Yankees have had talks with the Chicago Cubs about starter Jameson Taillon, but the Cubs are undecided whether they will be buyers or sellers,” Nightengale said.
Shortly after, the Cubs solidified their stance.
Taillon, boasting a 3.10 ERA with a 75-to-18 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .250 batting average against, and a 1.16 WHIP in 93 innings across 16 starts this season, has not been a frequent subject of trade rumors due to the Cubs’ previous status as fringe contenders.
Taillon signed a four-year, $68 million contract ahead of the 2023 season, with two years and $36 million remaining after this stretch run.
The Red Sox should pursue longer-term starting pitching assets if a deal can be made without involving their top three prospects. While this potential move fits that description, it’s not a perfect fit.
It might be wiser to pursue a low-cost trade for left-hander James Paxton, who was surprisingly designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, rather than investing both financially and with prospect capital in Taillon.
If Taillon were cheaper or had just one more year of control after this season, he’d be a more reasonable target for a Red Sox organization that should reward the current roster with help but avoid overcommitting given the brighter future ahead.
A move to acquire Chicago White Sox’s Erick Fedde, who signed a two-year, $15 million contract this past offseason and has a 2.98 ERA in 20 starts, would be a much stronger fit.
