Red Sox Superstar ‘Could Shape’ MLB Trade Deadline

The Boston Red Sox made a great call this past offseason.

Rumors ran wild about the possibility of the Red Sox landing guys like Juan Soto, Max Fried, and Garrett Crochet. Boston ultimately did get Crochet, but didn’t land Soto and Fried. 

As all of the rumors were flowing about the big-name targets, Boston quietly signed seven-time All-Star Aroldis Chapman after spending the 2004 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Red Sox got Chapman on a one-year deal and he has been one of the steals of the offseason. So far this season he has a 1.80 ERA in 27 appearances along with nine saves.

The Red Sox got back in the win column on Wednesday, but still have a 3-34 record. There have been rumors growing about Boston with the trade deadline coming up in July. Boston’s record has sparked some talk about the possibility of the club selling some pieces. The Athletic’s Chad Jennings even mentioned him as a piece that “could shape” the trade deadline.

"Boston Red Sox," Jennings said. "Aroldis Chapman. Closer. A pair of proven, 37-year-old closers were free agents last winter. Aroldis Chapman signed a one-year, $10.75 million deal with the Red Sox while Kenley Jansen left the Red Sox to sign a one-year, $10 million deal with the Angels. Similar contracts, wildly different results. While Jansen has struggled to maintain his elite standards, Chapman has been nearly as good as ever, still generating extreme velocity while excelling in basically every ninth-inning metric.

"He’s been exactly what the Red Sox needed to return to relevance, except the team as a whole hasn’t kept pace. There’s an argument to be made that the Red Sox should trade an outfielder no matter what — to open a spot for top prospect Roman Anthony — but if they continue to hover around .500, Boston could become the second team in three years to deal Chapman at the deadline. The last team to do it was the 2023 Royals, who got ace Cole Ragans in the deal."