Alex Cora Set This Mandate In Red Sox Clubhouse Before Deadline

Over the next week, fans and media members alike will spend plenty of time talking about what the Red Sox may or may not do before the MLB trade deadline.

But when it comes to the club itself, Alex Cora and company will be fixating their focus elsewhere.

A little over a week before the trading window in the big leagues closes, Cora revealed the directive he gave to his players as they try to stay in the American League playoff picture.

"Our job is to play and win as many games as possible and not play GM, from young guys to veterans. I was very clear this year.

“I made sure, we're not going to talk about this (in the clubhouse). Maybe if (members of the media) ask (the players), they have the right to answer however they want, but it's not going to be a story."

The majority of Red Sox players have taken Cora's guidance in stride. Tanner Houck, for example, danced around a deadline question at the All-Star Game and stressed the need for Boston to keep playing good baseball.

And that's probably how everyone in the Red Sox clubhouse should handle this situation. Because no matter how the team looks after July 30, it will be on the players to show up on the field, win games and attempt to secure a postseason berth.