The Red Sox’s inactivity at the 2015 Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline suggests Boston will do its heavy lifting over the offseason. But it doesn’t mean general manager Ben Cherington and Co. will sit on their hands until then, even with the Sox in last place in the American League East.
Boston has a track record of making moves in August.
Click for the Red Sox’s top 10 August transactions >>
The July 31 non-waiver trade deadline is an important date on the MLB calendar, but it doesn’t prevent teams from still making deals. There just are more hoops to jump through after July 31 because of the waiver process, which limits the number of trades consummated.
Some players easily pass through waivers because of bad contracts, at which point they can be traded to any team. If a player is claimed off waivers, his club must decide whether to trade the player to the claiming team, revoke the waiver request or simply allow the claiming team to take the player and his salary. (That’s the basic gist of it, though MLB Trade Rumors has a more in-depth breakdown here.)
Particulars aside, the Red Sox have made some notable August transactions over the years. Not all were franchise-altering — like a recent one that stands out — but they’re still worth considering as the Red Sox enter the stretch run on the heels of a quiet July.
Click for the Red Sox’s top 10 August transactions >>
Thumbnail photo via USA TODAY Sports Images/Kelvin Kuo
