While Boston Red Sox players and fans alike dealt with the realization that Christian Vázquez will no longer be the team’s starting catcher, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom was onto his second and third deals of the night on Monday.
One of those moves was the acquisition of outfielder Tommy Pham from the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later.
ESPN released its grades for each team after the deadline. Here’s how they graded the Red Sox and the Reds:
ESPN’s grade for Red Sox: C+
“Pham has mashed lefty pitchers this season and might serve Boston best in a role that emphasizes that ability,” ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle wrote Monday. “At the very least, his presence should mean that Jackie Bradley Jr. (hitting .132 against lefties) need not see another southpaw this season.”
The Red Sox bolstered an outfield group that has underperformed this season, especially since Kiké Hernández has been held to just 51 games on the campaign and continues to battle a lingering hip injury.
Still, Pham hit just .238 with 23 extra-base hits including 11 home runs in 91 games with the Reds. He’ll be a serviceable player but is not exactly a blockbuster addition.
ESPN’s grade for Reds: Incomplete
It’s pretty hard to grade a trade while half of the transaction is incomplete. The Reds traded a 34-year-old outfielder for a prospect in a lost year. That said, it’s hard to grade how well they did without knowing who the team acquired.
