The Boston Red Sox are going to have to make a move before the Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline, but apparently the market isn’t quite there yet.
Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told the media after Sunday’s 6-2 loss to the Texas Rangers that he’s been doing a lot of shopping for players who could help. However, Dombrowski said there hasn’t been much activity as far as trade negotiations go.
“It’s still early,” Dombrowski said, per the Boston Herald’s Evan Drellich. “I can tell you I’ve done a great deal work, there’s five clubs that are willing to talk about it. They’re the same five clubs that have been at it all year, so it’s still a little early for that type of situation. We’ll just see what happens.”
Dombrowski also reminded everyone the Red Sox can’t just go out and get whoever they want whenever they need them.
“I think the thing you got to remember is, it takes two clubs to make a deal,” Dombrowski said. “And most clubs, as I’ve said all along — and it hasn’t changed whatsoever really — are not prepared to move towards 2017 and be in a position of where they’re willing to move. I mean, there’s probably five clubs that have been looking at that all year long and I think those five clubs are probably the five that remain.”
Here are more notes from Sunday’s loss.
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— Clay Buchholz had another rough day on the mound Sunday, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with five walks, three strikeouts and a home run over 5 1/3 innings. But Red Sox manager John Farrell couldn’t say if the right-hander would make his next start.
Dombrowski said Buchholz probably will make his next start, which really is an indication of how thin the Red Sox are for starting pitchers.
— Xander Bogaerts made just two errors through the first 61 games but has made five in the 14 games since then. The shortstop has played in 74 of Boston’s 75 games and is understandably feeling fatigued.
“I just have to go through it,” Bogaerts said, per the Boston Herald’s Jason Mastrodonato. “You have to tough it out. It’s not easy, trust me, it’s not easy. I know I’m tired. I can feel I’m tired. I don’t have no legs. I’m throwing the ball over there with no legs. I’m hitting with nothing right now. Most of my hits have been infield hits and bloopers, stuff like that. It’s not solid contact lately.”
For what it’s worth, Bogaerts still has the most hits in Major League Baseball (108) and the third-best average (.344).
— David Ortiz, who pinch-hit for Bryce Brentz in the eighth inning and hit an RBI single, collected his 1,702nd RBI, tying him with Reggie Jackson for 24th on the all-time list.
— The Red Sox certainly need to turn a corner and start winning, but at least there’s some solace in the fact that the AL isn’t as competitive as the National League.
— Brock Holt went 3-for-4 with a run and a walk in his rehab start Sunday in Pawtucket and could be back from the disabled list as early as Monday in Tampa Bay. The Red Sox certainly could use him, as it was evident how thin the bench was Sunday when they started Bryce Brentz and Ryan LaMarre.
— Speaking of Tampa Bay, the Rays are on an 11-game losing streak, and the Red Sox will look to take advantage of that during their three-game series. Boston is four games back in the AL East, as the Baltimore Orioles have won five in a row.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
