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Red Sox Expected to Target a Rafael Devers Replacement
Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Rafael Devers trade was something no one thought possible. The Boston Red Sox lost the cornerstone of their offense and received a sub-par package from the San Fransico Giants in return. It is unclear what the Red Sox will get from their two new pitchers, Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, since both have been below average arms. This leaves their rotation problems unsettled. 

Despite this glaring question mark, one Red Sox beat writer doesn’t believe Craig Breslow’s top priority is a reliable arm given their new hole. In a recent article on MLB.com, Ian Browne instead suggested Breslow’s target would be “a run producer.” He wrote this when discussing what Boston will be looking for at the trade deadline:

“As you might have heard, the Red Sox traded star slugger Rafael Devers to the Giants in a stunning trade on Father’s Day, leaving Boston’s lineup with an obvious production void. Boston will scour the market for all available big bats. The best fit for the team would be a hitter who can play first base or DH. But chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is known to think outside the box, and that could happen in this case if a bat is available at a position other than catcher or first base. It’s hard to imagine the Sox will find one hitter to replace Devers, so Breslow could go after a pair of bats.” 

This doesn’t necessarily mean the Red Sox won’t target a reliable arm or two, but it should be a reassurance to hear the Red Sox will be looking for someone to boost their offense after the loss of Devers. Browne goes on to say they could target a pair of bats rather than just one, which could be a huge development if that’s what Breslow decides to do. 

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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