Will the Boston Red Sox trade away one of the best pickups from this past offseason?
Boston signed Aroldis Chapman to a one-year deal and he has been everything the team could've hoped for and more. Chapman has pitched in 36 games so far this season and has a 1.36 ERA to show for it to go along with a 48-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 33 innings pitched. Chapman has 14 saves so far for Boston and looks like he could be in line for his eighth All-Star nod if he can stay hot over the next few weeks.
With the 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline just over a month away, Chapman has been the guy talked about the most for Boston. If the Red Sox were to sell -- although the team has continously said that isn't going to be the case since trading Rafael Devers -- Chapman would be an obvious option. He's going to be a free agent at the end of the season and would bring back a massive package.
Boston is currently below .500 with a 40-42 record. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow most recently talked about the possibility of the team's plans on Thursday and hinted the team wants to add on "The Greg Hill Show" on WEEI.
While this is the case, The Athletic's Chad Jennings, Aaron Gleeman, and Tim Britton put each team into tiers based on buying and selling. Boston came in at tier four with the St. Louis Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks: "Tailors," and Chapman's name was brought up.
"The Red Sox had a young position core to begin with and have called up each of their top three prospects, but they’re still struggling to get above .500 (and, most notably, they’ve already traded away their best hitter)," Jennings, Gleeman, and Britton said. "
"There’s little sense that any of these three teams is in position to completely rip their rosters apart — the Red Sox and Diamondbacks in particular are built around young hitters who aren’t going to be traded, and the Cardinals’ playoff odds aren’t all that different from the (Milwaukee Brewers) and (San Diego Padres) — but each could be selective in who they trade and how they reinforce. The Red Sox and Cardinals could trade their closers (Aroldis Chapman and Ryan Helsley) for a meaningful return, while entrusting the ninth inning to someone younger. The Diamondbacks could deal slugging third baseman Eugenio Suárez, while opening the position for top prospect Jordan Lawlar."
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