The Major League Baseball trade deadline is looming and there are many questions surrounding what the Red Sox will do.
Boston’s offense isn’t necessarily a problem. But the pitching — both starters and the bullpen — has been an issue. Chris Sale hasn’t looked like his normal self this season, David Price surrendered six earned runs to the lowly Baltimore Orioles on Friday night, Ryan Brasier and Hector Velazquez both have been sent down to Triple-A Pawtucket, Andrew Cashner has struggled in his first two starts and there’s no telling how Nathan Eovaldi will perform out of the bullpen.
And that’s not even all of it.
The Red Sox reportedly have shown interest in Daniel Hudson and two other closing pitchers, but many have been wondering if Dave Dombrowski & Co. will be buyers and sellers come July 31.
Before Monday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, manager Alex Cora spoke to reporters at Tropicana Field, noting how the team plays over its next stretch of games will determine how the front office approaches the trade deadline.
“The front office has a job to do,” Cora said, per The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. “Obviously our goals are set to win the World Series. If it doesn’t look that way and they go somewhere else and take another approach, you’ve got to respect that. At the end, we have to perform and we have to win games. We haven’t been consistent about it. We have to play better, win games, and I’m not saying put pressure on them, but at the same time, show them yeah, this group is capable. We know the group is talented. It’s just a matter of going out there and performing.”
Cora has said all season how the team needs to play better. And even though essentially the same squad returned from the 2018 World Series season, they haven’t been playing the way they did last year.
After all, everyone knows anything can happen come deadline day.
