Don't look now, but Major League Baseball's trade deadline for the 2021 season is just about a month away.
The deadline is set for July 30, and at this point in the campaign, we have a pretty good idea of which teams will be buyers and which will be sellers. The Red Sox, if you had to choose between the two options, are in a position to add as they attempt to fend off stiff competition in the tight race for the American League East crown.
In a column published to ESPN.com Tuesday, MLB writer David Schoenfield ran through all 30 clubs and identified a player to trade for or away. For Boston, Schoenfield made a case for the acquisition of veteran infielder Asdrúbal Cabrera.
"The biggest boost the Red Sox will get will be the return of Chris Sale, plus Triple-A outfielder Jarren Duran has a chance to make an impact in the second half," Schoenfield wrote. "The Red Sox are near the bottom of the majors in production at first base, as Bobby Dalbec is lingering around the Mendoza Line with a strikeout rate approaching 40 percent. Cabrera brings a more contact-oriented approach and has put up a 120 OPS+ for the Diamondbacks."
A potential addition of Cabrera would be somewhat similar to when the Red Sox traded for Steve Pearce ahead of the 2018 trade deadline. While Pearce had more of a power bat than Cabrera, both boast defensive versatility and plenty of experience, including in the postseason.
Boston doesn't need to swing a blockbuster by the end of July, but a minor depth move could be a wise play for a team with World Series aspirations.
