Red Sox becoming trade deadline sellers has become 'increasingly realistic'

Since July 4, the Boston Red Sox are a league-worst 3-13. With the recent skid, the team has dropped from second in the AL East to fourth, and they enter play Tuesday just 1/2 game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in a fight to avoid the division cellar.

Despite that, due to the expanded postseason field this year, the Red Sox still sit just three games back of a playoff berth and may have the talent to sneak into the tournament come October. However, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, "the possibility of the Red Sox becoming sellers has become increasing realistic."

"None of this should be surprising. Even though they're the Boston Red Sox, their chief baseball officer, Chaim Bloom, runs the team with a value-oriented approach. Combine the Red Sox's place in the standings with their chances in the postseason against better and more talented teams with an injured list longer than a CVS receipt, and the impetus to sell is clear and strong," Passan wrote. "The possibility has been percolating recently, and one person with the Red Sox, when asked during the All-Star break about whether dumping is an option, said, 'Let's see how we do against Toronto, Cleveland and Milwaukee.' Well, the Blue Jays swept the Red Sox in the first series, outscoring them 40-10. If the Guardians do a similar woodshed job, opposing executives expect Bloom to be open for business."

The ESPN scribe noted that All-Star designated hitter J.D. Martinez is perhaps the best hitter available, and could "make sense" for the New York Mets. Additionally, hard-throwing top-of-the-rotation hurler Nathan Eovaldi should be an attractive option for many teams.

Passan reported however, that as of now, All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts doesn't appear to be on the market.

"Rival executives anticipate that even if Boston unloads a half-dozen players, Bogaerts, the star 29-year-old shortstop, won't be among them, even though he's set to hit free agency this winter. Should Boston make Bogaerts available, however, he would be the best player out there, non-Soto division, and potentially upend the market days before the deadline," he wrote.