The Red Sox may have lost one of the cleaner catching fits on the board, and that could force a bigger swing than they originally planned.
Ryan Jeffers is no longer a realistic target after Minnesota’s stance shifted firmly into buyer mode ahead of the August 3 deadline. The Twins, sitting third in the American League Central and a game behind the third Wild Card spot as of July 30, have taken Jeffers and Joe Ryan off the market. That matters for Boston, which has been looking at catching help and could use an upgrade there.
Jeffers would have checked a lot of boxes. The right-handed catcher is hitting .294/.399/.528 with nine doubles, a triple and nine homers in 48 games this season, though that comes in a relatively small sample after he spent time on the injured list from mid-May to mid-July with a hamate bone fracture.
He has worked plenty of deep counts too, drawing 27 walks against 32 strikeouts for a 14.2 walk percentage. He also sprays the ball to all fields, even if his pull-the-ball-in-the-air rate of 19.8 percent sits on the lower end compared with some of Boston’s other deadline possibilities, including Zach Neto.
With Jeffers off the board, ESPN’s Jeff Passan pointed Boston toward a different path: the Marlins. Miami is still within reach of a Wild Card spot, but Passan said several of its players are available, including shortstop Otto Lopez and catcher Liam Hicks.
That’s where the cost starts to climb. Passan said a Hicks-Lopez deal would be expensive for the Red Sox and floated Marcelo Mayer as the beginning of the package.
Boston would be giving up control, and the Marlins would need more than that given the seven years of team control between the two players. Still, the Red Sox do have pitching prospects they could part with.
Hicks would give Boston a real offensive boost over Connor Wong and Carlos Narváez, who have both had inconsistency issues in their careers. The left-handed hitter isn’t the right-handed bat the Sox would prefer, but the production is hard to ignore.
In 97 games, Hicks is slashing .279/.358/.435 with nine doubles, a triple, 14 home runs, 37 walks and 38 strikeouts. Defensively, he’s not a strength across the board, ranking below league average in blocks, framing and pop time, though he is above average in caught stealing.
Lopez would address another need by giving Boston a right-handed infield bat after Curtis Mead’s injury. He doesn’t bring much power with nine home runs, but his .329/.363/.490 line shows he can put the ball in play. He’s also been strong on defense, posting six outs above average and seven defensive runs saved up the middle.
With Jeffers and Shea Langeliers no longer available, the Marlins look like a much more serious option for Boston - even if the price is steep.
In Other News...
Red Sox Eye One More Deadline Move To Fix A Lingering Problem
The Red Sox have already done business with the Nationals twice in the past nine months, landing pitcher Jake Bennett and infielder Curtis Mead, but the work in Washington may not be finished. Mead is currently out with a broken wrist, and Boston still appears to be searching for a cleaner answer on the infield as the trade deadline approaches.
According to reports, the club has continued to monitor Washingtons infield market while looking for another move that would address the lingering issue. The interest points toward a player who has been productive this season, and the price could require Boston to part with a notable major league piece or a pitcher from the current roster mix. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Wild Card Push Suddenly Hinges On Two Unsettled Developments
Roman Anthony is back to batting as he continues to work his way back from a torn ligament in his ring finger, a small but meaningful step for a Red Sox club trying to keep its Wild Card hopes alive while managing a few moving parts. At the same time, Willson Contreras is rejoining the lineup after clearing concussion protocol, giving Boston another healthy bat at a moment when every at-bat seems to carry extra weight in the standings race.
The bigger organizational questions are still simmering behind the scenes. Tanner Houcks recovery from UCL surgery has reached the point where he is throwing in bullpen sessions, and the possibility of a late-season return adds another layer to Bostons pitching picture. On the roster front, the Red Sox have also had interest in Luis Garca Jr., but the Yankees are close to getting there first, which would force Boston to keep looking for help as the deadline pressure and the playoff chase continue to overlap. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Face One Huge Deadline Decision On A Star Catcher
The Red Sox are staring at a late-breaking catcher decision with real consequences, as Boston and Baltimore have already lined up the framework of a potential deal involving Adley Rutschman. Prospects have been identified, medical information has been exchanged and the sides have gotten far enough along that the only remaining hurdle is Bostons final approval.
Rutschmans status adds another layer to the pause, since he is dealing with an injury that has kept him out. For a Red Sox club weighing both the short-term fit and the long-term cost, that makes this less about simply adding a name and more about deciding whether the timing, health and price all line up well enough to move forward. [Read more 🡒]