In fact, it's not necessary for the Sox to make a move at all.
With a farm system that was thinned out following the Adrian Gonzalez trade, the Red Sox would certainly be compromising the future by making a move for an impact bat or arm. Even then, the prospects that the Sox currently have may not be enough to pry some of the top available pieces. With that in mind, the Red Sox should be content with how their roster currently looks.
There's no denying the lack of offense coming from right field, as the Red Sox rank among the bottom of the league in production — 30th in OBP, 29th in OPS and 28th in slugging — anchored by J.D. Drew's line of .223, four home runs and 23 RBIs.
Aside from right field, the Red Sox still have the most productive offense in the league. Spots 1-5 in the batting order rank in the top-five in the league for productivity from their respective lineup spot. Even spots 7 and 9 are among the top-10 in the league. Assuming Carl Crawford shows glimpses of his superstar-self, that leaves one spot in the Sox order as a liability.
And, in case you haven't heard, the Sox currently have a right fielder who is lighting up the league. Josh Reddick is hitting .378 with four home runs and 18 RBIs and has shown flashes of brilliance in the field, as well. In one-third of the plate appearances, Reddick already has more extra-base hits than Drew.
Of course, we saw flashes of brilliance from Jed Lowrie earlier this season, too. Reddick is not a .370 hitter. In fact, his highest career batting average above Single-A has been .277. Like Lowrie, Reddick will inevitably cool off, which is already evident by his .302 average in July. Until Reddick sees a huge drop, though, Terry Francona has no choice but to ride the hot streak.
So what happens if the Sox have multiple struggling outfielders? Pencil them in as "defensive specialists." Drew and Reddick are considered above-average defenders, and in a lineup full of big bats, what's the issue with having one spot dedicated to defense? While Drew may not make all the flashy plays, it's a certainty that he won't make a game-changing mistake. There's also the assumption that Drew will improve slightly on his .223 average, based on the fact that September has been his most productive month over the past three years.
Still worried about offense? The last five World Series champions have featured one regular who had a batting average below .250, including Julio Lugo (.237) for the 2007 Boston Red Sox.
Starting pitching? It's simple. The Red Sox currently have three dependable starters, although Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz are currently recovering from injuries. Assuming that these three are healthy for the postseason, the Sox have no need for a top-of the rotation starter like Jimenez or Matt Garza.
The last five World Series champions have all utilized the same strategy — a three-man rotation, with a fourth guy in case of fatigue. The New York Yankees only used three starters for their entire run during the 2009 postseason. Mortgaging the future to acquire a starter who may start one, maybe two, postseason games doesn't seem too logical. Plus, don't forget — John Lackey (3.12 postseason ERA) has historically been a workhorse in October. Asking the guy to keep the Sox in a single postseason game shouldn't be too much for Boston to expect.
The Red Sox currently appear ready to make a deep postseason run. While a major trade would solidify their place as the 'favorite,' it by no means guarantees a championship. A small move should obviously be expected, but trading the (rest of) the farm for a player the Sox clearly don't need doesn't coincide with the organization's desire to win now and in the future.
