The Boston Red Sox pushed chips in on Monday, but ESPN didn’t love the price.
In a blockbuster deal that sent Adley Rutschman to Baltimore, Boston added the catcher it wanted and a backup option in Jake Rogers, plus cash. But the cost was steep: the Red Sox parted with three of their top five prospects - right-handed pitcher Anthony Eyanson, outfielder Enddy Azocar and right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon - and also included catcher Carlos Narvaez and a player to be named later.
That was enough for ESPN to slap Boston with a C+.
The Orioles, by contrast, came away with an A. They landed Rutschman, the 2019 No. 1 overall draft pick, despite his injury-marred season and looming free agency after 2027. ESPN noted Baltimore was willing to move on because Samuel Basallo looked ready to handle the No. 1 catching job, making Rutschman expendable.
For Baltimore fans, the move also marked the end of a rebuilding stretch that had climbed to a 101-win season in 2023 but never ended with a World Series title.
Rutschman is still on the injured list with a wrist injury, though he’s expected back in about a week. The three-time All-Star has already had three IL stints this season.
Boston, meanwhile, keeps charging. The Red Sox entered Monday 28-5 since June 25, have won eight straight series and are the hottest team in baseball with five straight wins. At 60-51, they sat five games behind the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays and four games up in the AL Wild Card race.
They’re set to open a series against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday.
For the Red Sox, the message was clear: the future is now. ESPN just wasn’t sold on the cost of getting there.
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Red Sox Send Clear Message As Franklin Arias Pushes For Boston
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For now, though, the message from the Red Sox is more patience than urgency. Craig Breslow has sounded encouraged by what Arias is doing, but the club is not looking to force a promotion while it is in the middle of a playoff push. Boston likes where the young infielder is headed, and it is clearly watching him closely, but the next step is still being treated as something to earn rather than something to rush. [Read more 🡒]