The Boston Red Sox have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball, but they could turn things around with some smart trades and players like Cole Hamels, Aroldis Chapman, Johnny Cueto, James Shields, Tyler Clippard and Jonathan Papelbon could be targets this year at the deadline, as the team is still in the mix for a playoff spot despite being in last place in the AL East.
The Red Sox are coming out of the All-Star break at 6.5 games behind the Yankees in the division and six games out of the wild card. While the team looks like they could be sellers at the deadline, there is a chance the team goes for it with some trade to try and bounce back after having an expensive offseason. Frank Thomas at Fox Sports said that he expects the team to make at least one "major" deal, as the Red Sox have the prospects and the money to handle making a trade.
Earlier in the season the team was mentioned as one of the "favorites" for Cole Hamels, as Jon Heyman reported that the team was looking to upgrade their starting pitching. The Red Sox have not gotten any type of consistent starting pitching from their rotation other than from Clay Buchholz, who leads the team with a 3.26 ERA this season. The team has used Wade Miley, Rick Porcello, Joe Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Justin Masterson and Steven Wright as starters this season and overall the Sox have a 4.44 ERA, which is good for last in the American League.
While the team has not gotten great starting pitching, they are still within reach of a playoff spot and if they look at adding a pitcher, there are plenty of names on the market. Players like Cole Hamels, Johnny Cueto, James Shields, Mike Leake and Scotty Kazmir are all available and while one pitcher may not solve all of the Red Sox problems, it can't hurt to add another arm.
Hamels reportedly was a target for the Red Sox earlier in the season, but the team has not been active in looking at him recently, according to CBS Sports. The Phillies previously asked the Red Sox for top prospects in a deal with Hamels and the team balked at that. Hamels is the most likely pitcher to get traded, as he has come up in rumors since last season. Cueto and Leake are interesting options, as they are in the final years of their contracts and could be moved for slightly less than high-rated prospects. James Shields also could be a target, as the Padres have not performed as expected and could sell off some bigger names.
The team has been better in the back end of the bullpen with Koji Uehara closing games, but the team could use some more depth and could look at names like Aroldis Chapman, Tyler Clippard or even old friend Jonathan Papelbon. The starting pitching is more of a pressing concern, but a team like the Reds could be willing to give up Chapman after the way they have played this season. The Athletics also are likely to sell and Clippard could be an option.
Check here for more on the Red Sox and potential trade targets this season.