The Boston Red Sox have suddenly put themselves in a position to matter at the trade deadline, and that could create trouble for the New York Yankees.
After a nine-game winning streak before the All-Star break, the Red Sox are back in postseason contention. That shift also changes the outlook for players who once looked like obvious deadline candidates, including outfielder Jarren Duran and closer Aroldis Chapman, who are now most likely staying put.
With Boston now looking more like a buyer than a seller, one possible target is Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman. On Wednesday, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller named both the Red Sox and Yankees as “presumably interested parties” for Goodman.
The appeal is obvious. Goodman has already launched 27 home runs by mid-July, and the 26-year-old also comes with three years of club control after 2026. That kind of combination of power and control would not come cheap, and the Rockies would need a strong offer to even consider moving him.
Miller made the case that Colorado may prefer to keep him if it can still see a path toward contention. “But if they can honestly see a path to the postseason by 2028, then, no, Hunter Goodman shouldn't be going anywhere,” Miller wrote. “He has been, hands down, their most valuable player since the beginning of last season, and they can keep him for another three years after this one.”
For the Yankees, the fit is easy to see. Their catchers have given them terrible offensive production this season, and Goodman would immediately add more punch to the lineup.
But if Boston gets aggressive and beats New York to the punch, the Yankees would have to move on. And if the two clubs end up facing each other, Goodman’s power could come back to bite New York in the playoffs.
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For a team like St. Louis, sitting near the Wild Card line and trying to avoid paying premium prices for a short-term fix, that kind of profile is worth monitoring. Sandovals recent first start back was encouraging, and with his contract and injury history shaping how rival front offices view him, he fits the sort of affordable pitching addition that can linger on the deadline market even as bigger names dominate the conversation. [Read more 🡒]