A ten-game winning streak has launched the Red Sox back into the playoff race, and all but confirmed that the club will be looking to buy before the trade deadline. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has stated that the Sox are looking at pitching options, and MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam opines that the Red Sox would likely prefer controllable pitchers in particular, so this new hurler could help support the club’s talent core for more than just the remainder of 2025. However, as of two days ago, McAdam noted that Boston hadn’t yet spoken with the Marlins about two controllable potential trade candidates — Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera.
While there’s still plenty of time before the July 31 deadline for the Sox to inquire about either pitcher, the lack of interest to date might indicate that Breslow simply might have other pitchers on his target list. Alcantara’s past Cy Young Award-winning form makes him perhaps the summer’s likeliest trade candidate, yet the right-hander has struggled badly in his return from Tommy John surgery. Cabrera is arbitration-controlled through 2028 so the rebuilding Marlins might not see a reason to move him just yet, and certainly not for anything less than a massive trade return. Health is also a concern with Cabrera, as he left Friday’s start early due to elbow discomfort but might be able to avoid the injured list after a precautionary MRI came back clean.
More from around the AL East….
- Yankees ace Max Fried left Saturday’s start after three innings due to a blister on the index finger of his throwing hand, and he told The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner and other reporters today that it was too soon to tell whether or not Fried would be healed and ready to make his first start after the All-Star break. Fried is no stranger to blister problems, and the unpredictable nature of the injury means that it could be at least a few days before the southpaw or the club has any clarity on the situation. Despite some shaky results in his last three starts, Fried still finished the first half with tremendous numbers, including a 2.43 ERA over 122 innings in his debut season in New York.
- Speaking of Yankees pitchers, Luis Gil has been sidelined all season by a lat strain, but the reigning AL Rookie of the Year began a minor league rehab assignment today with Double-A Somerset. Gil threw 36 strikes during the 50-pitch outing, recording six strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings of work while allowing a run on two hits and a walk. This sharp performance is a good sign for Gil as he gets back to full readiness, and his long layoff means that his rehab stint will probably stretch into August. An in-form Gil would be a massive boon for the Yankees’ rotation for the remainder of the season, and the team’s trust in Gil’s health could inform how much of a push New York makes for pitching help at the deadline.
- Yimi Garcia may not need a rehab assignment for his sprained ankle, and he could rejoin the Blue Jays’ bullpen when first eligible to be activated from the 15-day injured list. (Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling was among the members of the Toronto beat to report the news.) Garcia has pitched just once in the majors since May 22, as he was first sidelined by a shoulder impingement and then quickly picked up his ankle sprain that necessitated a return to the 15-day IL on July 5. The reliever threw a bullpen session on Friday and is slated to throw another soon, and his recovery from those sessions should determine the Jays’ next step.
- Rays right-hander Manuel Rodriguez will probably visit with doctors on Monday after experiencing elbow soreness during his most recent rehab outing, manager Kevin Cash told the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin and other reporters. A forearm strain sent Rodriguez to the 15-day IL just over a month ago, and Friday was supposed to be his final rehab outing, except the reliever’s elbow started acting up and his velocity dropped noticeably. Rodriguez has been an underrated bullpen weapon over his two-plus seasons in Tampa, delivering a 2.12 ERA over 68 relief innings since the start of the 2024 season. This isn’t the first time Rodriguez has dealt with a major arm problem, as an elbow strain cost him the majority of the 2022 campaign when Rodriguez was still a member of the Cubs organization.
Give me Alcantara or Cabrera.
I was thinking about what team would even be interested in alcantara and it definitely wouldn’t be the Yankees given it would cost them like 36 million total next year with the luxury tax he’s way too big of risk. The redsox definitely some like the team that would gamble on a guy like sandy.
I normally don’t bother speculating on trade scenarios this fanciful, but is there any world in which a package of Anthony and a couple of lesser prospects brings back Skenes from the Pirates? Anthony is obviously going to be great, but given the glut of outfield options the Sox have, trading the #1 prospect in the game and a couple of sweeteners for a pitcher of Skenes’ caliber with several years of control remaining doesn’t seem *that* outrageous for either side, especially with pretty much all of the Pirates’ offensive numbers as a team near the bottom of the league.
The pirates aren’t trading skenes. Not very another 3 years anyway people need to realize he’s about as untouchable as it gets in mlb.
I know they claim he’s untouchable, but the Red Sox have said that about Anthony, too… maybe it cancels out? A girl can dream
The Pirates sell 10,000 more tickets every time he starts. Not a chance.
Pittsburgh ought to ask for ten of a team’s 14 prospects. To start talking.
If Pittsburgh had any realistic chance of contending any time soon, I would agree that Skenes is the kind of guy who is basically untradeable. But holding on to one of the best players in the league (who’s unlikely to sign with you long-term once he hits the open market) just because he’s one of the best players in the league is a very bad way to get better. Just ask the Angels…
That being said, considering what the Padres gave up for two years of Soto, you’re probably right that Anthony would probably only be the beginning of the conversation.
He’s not getting traded because of his years of control he’s so undervalued you could clone Roman Anthony and it’s still not enough. It’s not happening. 2 years from free agency then the talks can start.
They should just give him a no trade clause for two years just so it can shut people up. Sign something that makes it literally impossible for them to trade him even if they wanted to.
In any given year, there were a lot of teams for whom none of their top 14 prospects ever evolved into difference-makers who’d make that trade a win.
Skenes is the only reason anyone pays attention to the Pirates. They aren’t trading him
Hearing Skenes won’t be traded this year, but maybe next year. The Red Sox definitely have the right pieces for him when or if he becomes available. Good luck.
Why would the Pirates trade Skenes? No upside. They would assume all the risk. We don’t even know his full value. The only real ticket draw for Nutting. They’ll hold on to him another 2 years after this season.
Agreed. Skenes isn’t going anywhere yet as there is zero benefit for the Pirates to move him. Conversely, lets say the Pirates are willing to move him and some GM convinces his boss to let him literally empty out the farm to get him and then Skenes blows out his elbow, who wants to fall on that sword?
@Rsox, I agree that the best counterpoint to this entire idea isn’t “the Pirates shouldn’t trade Skenes” but rather “nobody should empty their farm system for only one guy.” I actually think there’s a lot of (hypothetical) benefit to Pittsburgh in moving him, just as there would have been a lot of benefit to the Angels moving Ohtani and Trout when they had the opportunity and just as there was benefit to the Nationals moving Soto when they did.
You’re right, of course, that none of it’ll ever happen. But it’s fun to imagine.
The Nats were smart for moving Soto when they did and the prospect haul is starting to pay dividends. The Angels didn’t move Trout prior to the massive contract because he was Arte’s golden goose before Ohtani arrived. Arte didn’t move Ohtani at the ’23 trade deadline because he didn’t want to see an empty stadium for the rest of the season. In both instances the Angels probably would have been better off trading those players. Pittsburgh needs to see what they have with a rotation of Skenes, Jones, and Chandler before subtracting Skenes
If Anthony pans out as well as he has in the last few weeks, there’s no way the Sox will or should deal him. A passel of other good prospects, sure. Pirates ownership should be building around Skenes. If they don’t, then start the auction.
Anthony’s great! I don’t mean to suggest he should be touchable in most instances. But as we saw with Crochet, you have to give a lot to get a lot, and Skenes is about the biggest fish you could reel in.
My personal feeling is that it’s impossible to build a franchise around one starting pitcher because they only play every 5 days. There’s a reason the Yankees (don’t yell at me Yankees fans this is a little reductive of me) can perennially be “Judge and some other guys” and win pennants while the Pirates with Skenes are one of the worst teams in the league. In my opinion it would be wiser for Nutting to move him for a Soto-esque haul of young offensive talent that can actually carry the team on a daily basis. Not a perfect comp, but while I’d imagine Preller regrets the Soto trade, now, the Nats certainly don’t.
it was the Red Sox who once sent #1 overall prospect plus in the package for Sale a few years back but he wasn’t as young nor had as much control left when they did it. it didn’t exactly work out for the white Sox either as moncada and company didn’t open a long lasting window for them or anything. the package they sent for 2 years of Sale was equivalent to Anthony, Campbell and more though
Hypothetical, PCA for Skenes. who says no?
its a gamble trading for pitching! They are all terribly expensive in terms of prospect haul and or Money. Sox are changing their ways drafting pitching and trying to start their own pitching factory. They might trade an outfielder, but I’m not expecting them to do a big splash. This team has a good chemistry and are on a roll. I guess I’m good either way.
Red Sox still have a 40% chance at the postseason with the tough schedule ahead. I am not getting my hopes up until I see how they take the Dodgers, Cubs, and Phillies