Both Dave Dombrowski and Alex Cora seem content with the Boston Red Sox’s inactivity at the July 31 trade deadline, and, well, it might now be understandable why.
It was shocking, to say the least, that the Red Sox didn’t make a move, especially given some clear needs in the bullpen. Dombrowski, the team’s president of baseball operations, outright admitted the team was looking for relief pitching but that the price was too high.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Red Sox very much were checking in on relief pitchers, but there was a clear roadblock in front of them.
The Red Sox inquired about several relievers Wednesday but were told that teams liked prospects from other clubs more than Boston's. Only way the Red Sox were getting a deal done, a source said, was "to do something stupid."
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 31, 2019
Indeed, it would’ve been risky for the Red Sox to give away huge prospects — especially since they likely only will compete for the wild card. With that in mind, it seems Dombrowski’s assessment of risk and reward led him to bet on the current group.
