The Boston Red Sox are 30-34 and 9 1/2 games out of the American League East lead. They can still turn things around and claim a Wild Card spot.
While there is time for the Red Sox to get back on track, they may be in a tough spot when the July 31 deadline rolls around. If the season is lost by then, Aroldis Chapman could be a hot name on the trade block. Sports Illustrated’s Brad Wakal tabbed the Philadelphia Phillies as a team that could trade for him.
“It could be a risk to bring in Chapman after he’s gotten off to such a great start, but with the Boston Red Sox underperforming and him being a rental, it wouldn’t take a ton of prospect capital to land the 37-year-old,” wrote Wakal.
The Phillies lost their closer, Jose Alvarado, to a PED suspension, and he will be ineligible for the postseason. The Phillies look like contenders in the National League and will need a reliable arm in the backend of their bullpen.
Chapman has a 1.80 ERA this season and has logged nine saves for the Red Sox. The 37-year-old lefty will be a free agent after the season, and the Red Sox would be wise to flip him for a prospect if they are out of contention by the trade deadline. Chapman would be able to contribute to the Phillies as they try to win the National League.
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He is a seven-time All-Star and former Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year. The “Cuban Missile” can still hit triple digits on the radar gun and has the postseason experience to be a key player for a contender.
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