The Boston Red Sox have put themselves in a spot where adding at the deadline feels realistic, not reckless. They’re the hottest team in baseball, they’re just two games under .500, and with the All-Star break here, they’ve got a little time to sort out what they want to be before Aug. 3.
The schedule waiting on the other side is no joke. Boston returns to action on July 17 and has 17 games left before the deadline, with matchups against the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, Athletics and the Los Angeles Dodgers. That’s a tough run, but the Red Sox have leaned on their pitching enough to keep themselves in the mix.
What they still need is offense, specifically a bat that can sit in the middle of the order and change the shape of an inning. That’s the challenge.
Names like Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets, CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals, Gleyber Torres of the Detroit Tigers and Isaac Paredes of the Houston Astros would all fit the bill if they became available. But if Boston can’t land a true slugger, there’s another route worth watching.
That brings the Red Sox to San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arráez, who is headed to the All-Star Game and has a real shot at a fourth batting title. Arráez is hitting .330 with an .829 OPS in 91 games, and only Otto Lopez of the Miami Marlins, at .334, is ahead of him in batting average right now.
A mock deal would send INF Mikey Romero, Boston’s No. 11 prospect, and RHP Gage Ziehl, the club’s No. 20 prospect, to the Giants in exchange for Arráez. It would mean parting with a former first-round pick and a promising arm for a few months of a contact-heavy bat, but it’s not an outlandish framework.
Boston’s offseason emphasis on defense and run prevention makes Arráez even more interesting. He has taken a huge step forward with the glove, sitting in the 99th percentile in outs above average with 10. Last year, he was in the fourth percentile with -9 outs above average.
There’s also the lineup fit. If Roman Anthony can return this season and look like he did last year, Boston could still have the power piece it needs. Adding Arráez near the top would mean more traffic on the bases and more chances for hitters like Willson Contreras to cash in.
Arráez has also said he wants to remain at second base this season, even if he gets moved. That matters because Boston has gotten useful production from Anthony Seigler at second. Seigler has been the spark plug the Red Sox needed, and his ability to play all over the field, plus his switch-hitting, would still allow him to get regular at-bats even if Arráez arrived.
If Boston can land someone like Lindor, this conversation changes fast. But if the big swing doesn’t materialize, Arráez is the kind of name the Red Sox should absolutely have on the board.
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