There is a simple reason why I haven't mentioned the Red Sox once since their truncated 60-game regular season began on July 24: they are absolutely terrible but that's the whole point. Despite tonight's 8-5 win at Baltimore (12-14) which extended Boston's (9-18) season-high win streak to a pathetic three games, they are no doubt tanking to try and "earn" the No. 1 draft pick in the 2021 MLB Draft (something which the franchise has never had). There were rumors of a Red Sox-Phillies trade in the works this afternoon and with the Trade Deadline coming on August 31, they wasted no time getting it done this evening: Boston dealt closer Brandon Workman and set-up guy Heath Hembree to Philadelphia (9-13) for right-handed pitcher Nick Pivetta and minor league right-hander Connor Seabold.
Vanderbilt stud starting pitcher Kumar Rocker (what a name!) is expected to be the next top overall pick and the Red Sox are in desperate need for starting pitching after David Price was traded to the Dodgers, Rick Porcello signed with the Mets and Eduardo Rodriguez got Covid-19 then opted out of this cursed season with understandable worries about a previously diagnosed heart condition. We can all agree that Boston's new chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has inherited a tricky situation. Of course, unlike lame-duck manager poor Ron Roenicke who will be out of here next season (with Alex Cora's triumphent return from suspension?), Bloom won't be going anywhere else for awhile. After all, he's 37 and his work making Tampa Bay a contender year after year on their shoestring budget proved that the Yale alum knows a thing or two.
Workman is the only real notable name of this group, unless Seabold becomes something but he's probably (at least) a few years from making a real impact in MLB. Brandon was a surprisingly key part of Boston's 2013 World Series champion as a rookie then he missed 2015 and 2016 following Tommy John surgery. Props for him though for sticking with his rehab when many would have given up as he became an important piece of the Red Sox bullpen the last four seasons including the 2018 World Series champs. His value only increased in 2019 as he proved he could be a closer in the majors-something the Phillies desperately need right now-with a 10-1 record, 16 saves, 1.88 ERA and 104 strikeouts/45 walks in 71.2 innings.
Also a World Seris champion in 2018, Hembree had been here for longer than you probably think since he was a part of the Jake Peavy (remember him?) trade to the Giants way back in July 2014 at the Trade Deadline. In seven seasons with the Red Sox, he combined to go 15-5 with two saves, a 3.70 ERA and 270 strikeouts/97 walks in 257.2 innings pitched. Pivetta is 27 and his career record-mostly as a starting pitcher-is 19-30 with a 5.50 ERA. The Phillies have been awful for most of his four seasons there but he struggled so much that they demoted him to the bullpen and he had already been sent to their alternate site this year after three miserable appearances where he had a 15.88 ERA! Yikes. I won't waste your time or mine talking about Seabold since who has any clue whether a prospect will ever pan out in baseball?
I read far-fetched stories this week about the Red Sox possibly trading J.D. Martinez or god forbid Xander Boegarts. Martinez is an incredible hitter but that's really all he can do on a baseball field and he actually turned 33 today so his trade value isn't nearly as high as you would assume given his amazing stats the last few years. Bogey is the face of the franchise in his prime so I would puke if he changes teams anytime soon ala Mookie Betts. A player like outfielders Jackie Bradley Jr. or Andrew Benintendi (who is currently on IL with a fake injury to cover for how hopeless he's been at the plate in 2020) make way more sense to be the next players to be dealt from Boston. You know that Chaim can't wait to have some more deals too since that is specifically why he is here.
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