The July 31 deadline may have passed, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Red Sox are done trading.
The Washington Nationals placed first baseman/outfielder Adam Dunn on waivers on Tuesday, which means that other big league clubs will have 48 hours to place a waiver claim on him, with National League teams getting the first crack at the slugger.
Dunn leads the Nationals in home runs (26), RBIs (67), runs (61) and OPS (.933), and garnered plenty of interest before the trade deadline from a number of contending teams, including the Boston Red Sox. However, due to the fact that NL teams like the Giants and Rockies — who undoubtedly will make a big push — have the first shot at Dunn, interested AL teams like the Red Sox, Yankees, White Sox and Rays may never get a chance to put a waiver claim on him.
The main reason the Nationals weren’t able to move Dunn before July 31 was because their asking price was very high. Given the fact that their market will now be narrowed down to one team at a time, it’s unlikely that Washington will find any club desperate enough to trade for the 30-year-old slugger.
Enter the Red Sox. Already hamstrung by injuries to many of their best players, the team suffered a major blow on Monday night when first baseman Kevin Youkilis left the game with a torn muscle in his right thumb. Youkilis was placed on the 15-day DL on Tuesday.
Without Youkilis, Boston’s most consistent hitter in 2010, the Red Sox might need to add a big bat to compete with the Rays and Yankees for a playoff spot. Given the tough market for Dunn, the Red Sox could have a chance to acquire the slugger, if they’re willing to give up the right package.
Should the Red Sox make a waiver trade for Adam Dunn if given the opportunity?Market Research
