The Boston Red Sox are scuffling. They were expected to be a clear contender this season in the American League.
However, they are 30-34, fourth place in the AL East and nine games behind the first place New York Yankees.
It is looking very much like the Red Sox will end being sellers this summer at the trade deadline, and they have a few pieces that contending teams might want.
One such piece is Aroldis Chapman. Chad Jennings of The Athletic believes the 37-year-old left-hander could shape this year’s deadline.
“Chapman has been nearly as good as ever, still generating extreme velocity while excelling in basically every ninth-inning metric. He’s been exactly what the Red Sox needed to return to relevance, except the team as a whole hasn’t kept pace,” Jennings wrote.
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Chapman, a seven-time All-Star is putting together a very strong season with the Red Sox. He’s 3-2 in 27 appearances with nine saves.
The two-time World Series champion and former Reliever of the Year has also been a solid trade candidate in the past.
Back in 2023, the Kansas City Royals sent him to the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline, and that deal gave them left-hander Cole Ragans, so a similar deal could benefit the Red Sox this coming summer.
Relievers are also always in high demand, and if last year’s deadline was any indication, they will bring back solid returns for selling teams yet again.
If the Red Sox do decide to sell, it might make sense to dangle Chapman in trade conversations. We’ll see what path they take.
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