Three Players Red Sox Could Poach From Inevitable Athletics Fire Sale

The Boston Red Sox have straddled the line of buyer and seller for the majority of the Major League Baseball season, but have turned the corner in time to look like legitimate playoff contenders as we approach the Aug. 1 trade deadline.

Where could they start? How about California, where the worst team in baseball currently resides in Oakland? That’s right, we’re talking about those lowly Athletics.

If there was ever a team to sell at the deadline, it’s the A’s. Oakland is on pace to lose more than 110 games and will almost certainly be trading big league players for whatever minor-league slop they can get.

Here are a few of those players Boston could target entering the deadline.

Aledmys Díaz, INF
The Red Sox have a surplus of middle infielders, but while they wait for Trevor Story to recover they could solve a tough roster decision by consolidating the roles of multiple players into that of uber-versatile infielder Aledmys Díaz.

Díaz plays all over the diamond, lining up at first, second, third and shortstop on the season for the Athletics. He hasn’t swung the bat well for the A’s, but could be obtained for almost nothing. Boston had success in pulling Pablo Reyes off the scrap heap from Oakland, so why not buy Díaz as a (practically free) lottery ticket? He’s been linked to Boston before.

Austin Pruitt, RHP
There will be a ton of relief pitchers moved at the deadline, and this arm might be the best Oakland has to offer.

Austin Pruitt is a veteran of six MLB seasons and leads the A’s pitching staff in ERA (3.96) this season. Have we mentioned that they aren’t very good? He has the ability to open games as well as serve in a long-relief role, which is exactly what the Red Sox have asked of a player like Brennan Bernardino this season. He is under team control for 2024, as well, which makes him an intriguing target even if he doesn’t play an overly important role in 2023. He’s an innings eater who won’t cost much. That’s at least worthy of the Red Sox giving him a look.

Tony Kemp, 2B
If Díaz’s rough season turns the Red Sox off of him, why not take a chance on Tony Kemp?

Kemp has been everywhere and done almost everything in his MLB career, playing for Oakland in each of the last four seasons. He’s a dependable fielder up the middle and has some pop in the bat as well. The Athletics are so bad that they don’t have much that the Red Sox could possibly want, but these are some options that could be worthy of a second look.