Could the Yoenis Cespedes era already be nearing its conclusion?
Cespedes hasn’t even been with the Red Sox for three months, yet there’s a rumor circulating that Boston could look to trade the Cuban slugger as it retools for the 2015 season. After all, the Red Sox have a crowded outfield and several holes to fill before Opening Day.
Red Sox manager John Farrell laughed off the idea of trading Cespedes when asked about the possibility earlier this week. The skipper is banking on Cespedes being a big part of Boston’s improved offense next season, which makes sense given that the Sox traded Jon Lester and Jonny Gomes to land the dynamic outfielder at this year’s Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline.
But could the Red Sox and Cespedes ultimately find themselves in a situation similar to the one the Boston Bruins and Johnny Boychuk faced before the beloved defenseman was traded to the New York Islanders earlier this month? There are obvious differences — salary cap, etc. — when it comes to wheeling and dealing in baseball versus hockey, but teams always are looking to leverage their assets, regardless of the sport.
NESN.com’s Ricky Doyle and MassLive.com’s Jason Mastrodonato discussed the Cespedes trade rumors on the latest Red Sox podcast. The duo also broke down whether the postseason performances of James Shields and Pablo Sandoval are impacting their respective statuses as potential Red Sox offseason targets.
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Photo via Winslow Townson/The Associated Press
