There is homework to be done, phone calls to be made and perhaps even deals to be struck. While the Red Sox probably have finished their heavy lifting before the offseason, history shows that meaningful transactions still can be completed in August. So when Cherington says he’s not ruling out potential waiver wire deals, it would be wise to take the GM at his word.
In fact, a huge August trade can be pointed to as the starting point for Boston’s 2013 World Series run. The Red Sox, while having a difficult 2014 campaign, certainly appear to be in much better shape now than they were at the time of their 2012 blockbuster deal with the Dodgers, but who’s to say another August transaction won’t play a critical role in Boston turning things around in 2015?
The Red Sox’s 2012 megadeal with the Dodgers still is fresh, given that we’re only two years removed from that fateful day. But the trade only represents a small portion of the Red Sox’s late-season maneuvering over the years.