It has been rumored that the Red Sox, despite being eight games under .500 currently, are trying to make a big trade, specifically for a right-handed power bat. The Red Sox offense, aside from the past couple of games against the Atlanta Braves, has had its fair share of offensive struggles this season, so this makes sense. The Red Sox do have a lefty-heavy lineup, with a range of three to six left-handed hitters on any given day. This includes:
- Jarren Duran
- Wilyer Abreu
- Marcelo Mayer
- Masataka Yoshida (When in lineup)
- Mickey Gasper (Switch Hitter)
- Nick Sogard (Switch Hitter)
Four Outside the Box Trade Candidates to Turn The Red Sox Offense Around
As seen, the lineup has a high likelihood of being a majority of lefties most days. Only Ceddanne Rafaela, Willson Contreras, and Carlos Narvaez are consistent righties in the lineup (as well as Caleb Durbin, when he plays). This team’s in desperate need of not only another right-handed power bat, but also one who hits decently with runners in scoring position, a statistic that the Red Sox have struggled with over the past year or so, especially this season.
Now, while it would be nice for the possibility of a Mike Trout trade or a Byron Buxton move to happen, it wouldn’t be logical. For one, it would take a lot more than expected to get them. And secondly, there’s been skepticism of the outfield logjam all year. When Roman Anthony comes back, if a combo of Duran, Yoshida, or both gets sent out, they’re back in the same spot as they were. That being said, some names could be considered outside the box. Here are some:
Christian Walker, First Base, Houston Astros
Now, this may seem out there, given there are a lot of factors surrounding the Astros. So let’s go over those first. First of all, the Astros should be good on paper and make the playoffs. Currently, however, they are 24-32 and in fourth place in the AL West. They are also three and a half games out of the third wild card spot (Red Sox are four out). If they turn it around, it’s unlikely that the Astros are sellers at the deadline or before it. Should they continue at this pace, though, it may be something to consider.
Now with the Red Sox, they’ve been connected to the Astros since the offseason. Whether it’s rumors of slugger Yordan Alvarez, shortstop Jeremy Pena, or third baseman Isaac Paredes as trade candidates, Boston seems to be in talks. While Pena and Paredes are good, they don’t exactly fit the “power” aspect that Boston is looking for, plus adding a 28-year-old Pena to the middle infielder room with Mayer, Trevor Story, and top prospect Franklin Arias would make things more confusing. With Alvarez, it’s not exactly likely he gets moved, and if he does, it’ll probably be to a bigger market.
Now for Christian Walker. The 12-year MLB veteran is currently signed through 2027 and has 25 extra-base hits (15 homers) and 40 RBIs. While he is only batting .259 with runners in scoring position, 22 of his 40 RBIs come in those situations. That average bumps up to .348 when runners are in scoring position with two outs. The Red Sox seem to struggle with that, batting .236 with RISP and leaving 7.07 runners on base per game this season. Having someone who hits well in those spots and hits homers would be ideal.
There is talk of Contreras, too, and what happens. If the Red Sox sell, he’s probably gone. If the Red Sox buy, there’s a chance Duran could be out. This would move Anthony to left field, and Walker could be the DH. There are ways to fit both of them in the lineup should Contreras be on this roster past July.
Jo Adell/Jorge Soler, Outfield/DH, Los Angeles Angels
Both Jo Adell and Jorge Soler may be options for this squad, both for different contexts. Soler is the older, cheaper veteran who can still swing it. All nine of his homers this season have been to left/left center. However, he has a K% of 30.8%, which falls at the 9th percentile across all majors. In addition, he hits .185 with RISP. But the location of his homers would be welcomed with the Green Monster, surely turning into an extra base hit at the worst.
Adell, on the other hand, seems more intriguing for this team. He is a right fielder, but for the sake of this, he would most likely be a designated hitter, especially with Abreu’s Gold Glove defense in right field. Hitting-wise, he has eight homers (15 total XBH’s). The outfielder had a breakout season for Los Angeles last year when he hit 37 homers and drove in 98 runs. While the batting average is low (.242 this season), he hits .353 with RISP. He’s also in the 98th percentile when it comes to his bat speed, which factors into his 47.2% hard hit percentage.
Both of these Angels would be good if looking for a solid power hitter on a short deal that the front office can restructure into a new deal. Soler is a free agent following this season. At the same time, Adell is arbitration eligible next season, followed by free agency in ‘28.
Ildemaro Vargas, Infielder, Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are currently tied for possession of the first Wild Card in the National League. However, there are two teams tied for the third spot, and four teams within two games of those teams. The point here is that the National League wild-card race is very tight, and anything can happen. Over the next couple of months, Ildemaro Vargas could be a name to keep an eye on based on Arizona’s playoff standing.
While Pena would add another name to the crowded infield, Vargas seems like too good a name to pass up this season. While not the biggest power guy (seven homers), he plays anywhere in the infield, he’s got a batting average of .303 right now as well as an .814 OPS, and his contract’s up at the end of the year. With this being his age-34 season, a half-season of production could be a good tell for the Red Sox on whether to re-sign. He also hits .321 with RISP.
The only issue with Vargas is that he’s having a career year, which may mean that Arizona wants a little more for him than the Red Sox might want to give up. If they claim to be buyers, though, and they’re serious about a playoff push, that is something they would have to consider.
The Last Word
The Red Sox say they’re interested in a right-handed power bat. Whether they’ll actually pull the trigger on a move or not will be something to see. Of these teams, the Angels are the most likely trade candidate. Even though they were loosely linked to Trout, Soler, and/or Adell wouldn’t be bad choices either. Zach Neto’s name has also been thrown in there, but it’s unlikely that it will happen.
The ideal fit is somewhere in the infield; however, a power-hitting outfielder could slide into the DH role well. There’s a whole two months till the trade deadline, so time will tell what Boston does. Maybe they swing for the fences and pull off a huge trade. Maybe they will surprise people with certain players like these. For now, let’s wait and see.
