Sox seek smooth move
Seamless transition is the key
The Red Sox entered the 24-hour window before today’s trading deadline without making the move everybody expected, which would be for a reliever or perhaps an infielder.
While they may be exploring a deal with Texas for eventual Hall of Famer Adrían Beltré, as NBC Sports Boston reported, at least they didn’t trade for Roberto Osuna.
In a classic addition by subtraction transaction, the Sox kept their distance from the former Toronto closer. Houston couldn’t resist. While the Sox need an elite late-game arm like Osuna’s, it was the Astros who took a flier on someone who is facing domestic-assault charges.
From a pure baseball standpoint, Osuna will be a huge addition for the reigning World Series champions and an upgrade from former closer Ken Giles, who now can re-establish himself with the Blue Jays.
But the 1,000-pound elephant in the room with Osuna is the troubling and still pending court case over his arrest in May on domestic-assault charges. He’s eligible to return from his suspension this weekend, a couple of days after his next court appearance.
His case is not settled and it would have been an unsettling proposition to put it mildly for the Red Sox to have decided to go after Osuna.
Whether or not we learn that the Red Sox considered Osuna to be a no-go from the start or if they lost him at the last second — a baffling and surprising scenario, if true — Osuna is the Astros’ problem now.
The Cubs dealt with the consequences of trading for Aroldis Chapman — suspended on a domestic violence allegation — in their 2016 World Series championship drive, and frankly, there was not a huge amount of backlash.
We’ll learn soon enough how Osuna’s case will impact the Astros, whose general manager Jeff Luhnow as well as Osuna, addressed his plight.
What we already know is that adding Osuna would not be worth it to the Sox.
Put aside the moral complications, the distraction of his presence would not be worth it.
A trade for Beltre, however, would be perfectly acceptable and just as intriguing.
The 39-year-old thrived here in his 2010 pillow-contract season, both on and off the field. And while he is past his prime, if he were to spell the talented-but-still-green Rafael Devers at third base, the plusses outweigh the negatives, which at this point would only be the $6 million or so left in Beltre’s deal.
“That’s part of the equation,” said manager Alex Cora about how well a player would fit in the current clubhouse when the front office considers trades.
Beltre would fit, Osuna would not.
As the clock ticked, Cora understood that the chatter would only increase.
“Downstairs, upstairs, everywhere, it’s part of this. We know what’s going on around the league and we know what’s going on with us,” said Cora. “I’m comfortable with where we are. We’re versatile. Obviously not having Raffy for a few days, the rotation is smaller, but I think we’re good. We have a good team.”
Cora has been consistent in voicing his support of the struggling bullpen as trending in the right direction.
“You can see there’s a few guys stepping up in the bullpen,” said Cora. “Ryan (Brasier), Joe’s (Kelly) inning (Saturday) was a good one. We still have to keep working with him. Tyler (Thornburg) is a guy that little by little, you can see it, you can see what he was in Milwaukee and what he can become. (Matt) Barnesy keeps doing a good job, Craig (Kimbrel) keeps doing a good job. We’re good.”
Remember that players and coaches are always content with each other at the trade deadline. To profess anything else is somewhat akin to mutiny.
Cora tried to turn the volume of this particular time of year.
“Sometimes you get caught up in your team and what everybody says about our guys and I think everybody around this time, I don’t know if it’s because of the workloads or what’s going on, everything gets kind of — ‘a bullpen struggles, they need a bullpen, a starter struggles, they need a starter,’” said Cora. “It’s like opening week. Everything gets magnified because of the trade deadline.”
If and when a new player joins the club, little will change said Cora, citing the seamless additions of Steve Pearce and Nathan Eovaldi.
“We’re still going to do things the way we want, the way we set it up in spring training,” said Cora. “Even with Nathan coming in, there weren’t too meetings, and ‘this is what we want you to do,’ just ‘come in and do your thing.’ With Steve, the same thing. Obviously we’ll talk a little more throughout the week with Nathan, things we feel like he can benefit from.
“Regardless of if something happens, we’re still going to do things the way we’re doing them right now.”