Saturday, July 26

BOSTON -- Following a thrilling, 9-8, comeback win that took 11 innings in Philadelphia on Wednesday night, the Red Sox enjoyed a day of rest on Thursday. 

It comes at a good time. And with a clear marker in front of them.

There is exactly one week to go before the July 31 Trade Deadline, and manager Alex Cora’s team has put itself in position to be buyers.

Despite a 2-4 road trip coming out of the All-Star break, Boston (55-49) is still on the periphery of the American League East race, trailing the Jays by six games, and is currently tied with the Mariners for the second Wild Card spot.

Here are some areas the Red Sox are likely to target in this final week before the Deadline.

A starting pitcher

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said as far back as the Rafael Devers trade over a month ago that starting pitching is an area he’d like to add to. Events of the last few weeks have only made that more of a priority. Though the rotation has been solid overall of late, the old adage that you never have enough starting pitching is just about always true.

Tanner Houck had a recurrence of the right flexor strain that originally led to his placement on the injured list over two months ago, and there’s no telling when or if he returns this season. Kutter Crawford first had a knee injury, then suffered a right wrist injury that took place off the field. The bottom line is that the team’s leader in innings in 2024 won’t throw a single pitch in ‘25. Then there is Hunter Dobbins, a bright spot as a rookie who suffered a torn right ACL in his final start before the All-Star break.

There are some intriguing starting pitchers who could be traded, including Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen, Seth Lugo and Taj Bradley. Everyone knows how much Breslow loves pitching. It will be somewhat surprising if the Deadline passes without him adding a new member of the rotation.

A first baseman with pop

First base has been a need for Boston since May 2, when Triston Casas suffered a rupture of his left patellar tendon. While Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez have served as a functional platoon for Cora, a reliable thumper at that position would bolster the lineup.

Arizona’s Josh Naylor would be a tremendous fit, and has postseason experience. Baltimore’s Ryan O’Hearn is another left-handed hitting first baseman who could be on the move.

Bullpen arm(s)

The Red Sox were 0-7 in road extra-inning games before at last pulling out that big win in Philly on Wednesday.

Another high-leverage arm could be significant for the Red Sox to reverse the outcome of some of those tight games – both at home and on the road. Justin Slaten, the team’s primary setup man going into the season, has made minimal progress since going on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation at the start of June.

Closer Aroldis Chapman has three strong setup men in Jordan Hicks, Garrett Whitlock and Justin Wilson. But the top contenders always have a ‘pen full of big arms that can be deployed from the fifth or sixth inning on. Look for Breslow to add at least one reliever.

Backup catcher

Carlos Narváez has been one of the surprises of the season for the Red Sox after spending most of the last eight seasons in the Yankees’ farm system. His emergence is exactly why the Red Sox don’t want him to wear down as catchers so often do. To avoid Narváez hitting a wall, Breslow could seek a backup who can provide some offense -- which Connor Wong hasn’t been able to do.

As the starting catcher last season, Wong had a .758 OPS. He hasn’t been close to that as the backup, producing no extra-base hits and one RBI in 90 at-bats. 

Given how hard it is to find catchers who can hit, Boston’s best hope is to keep working with Wong in hopes he can find something offensively. However, Breslow pulled off a surprise last year acquiring veteran Danny Jansen at the Deadline. Don’t be surprised if he at least attempts to make a similar acquisition a year later.

Alex Bregman’s return from the injured list after missing seven weeks with a severe right quad injury has been disjointed by design in terms of playing time. Prior to the All-Star break, he returned on July 10, took the next day off, and started again on July 12.

When play resumed after the break, Bregman played Friday and Saturday at Wrigley Field, and was out of the lineup Sunday before mashing a pinch-hit, three-run homer. He was in the lineup on Monday and Tuesday in Philadelphia and made another pinch-hitting appearance on Wednesday.

The Red Sox are off on Thursday, which essentially gives Bregman consecutive days off. 

With the Dodgers in town this weekend, expect Bregman to start all three games.

One thing you might have noticed is that Bregman isn’t moving very fast down the line when he hits grounders. This is by design. The last thing Bregman or the Red Sox need is for him to suffer re-injury. Cora has full trust in Bregman’s ability to play it smart.

“He knows what it takes,” Cora said. “First of all, he’s never been a fast runner. That’s the reality of it. I’m not saying he’s a station to station guy, but he’s not a burner. He understands when he has to go and when he has to take it easy. We expect that and we’ll keep it like that.”

Fenway should have a playoff-like atmosphere for this weekend’s series against the Dodgers.

There are also some intriguing pitching matchups. Boston College alum Emmett Sheehan will be first out of the gate for Los Angeles. The Red Sox counter with Brayan Bello, who has been the club’s best starter other than Garrett Crochet in recent weeks.

Saturday will be a classic all-lefty matchup pitting a future Hall of Famer in Clayton Kershaw against an ace at the height of his powers in Crochet.

And in the Sunday afternoon finale, Walker Buehler will face the Dodgers for the first time. Buehler was a career Dodger, winning a pair of World Series titles, before signing a one-year contract with Boston.

After a rough start to the season, he has come on over his last three starts. He will face a former teammate in lanky righty Dustin May.

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