The Boston Red Sox Face Tough Decisions As Summer Rolls In

After a rough April and an even worse start to the month of May, the Boston Red Sox are surging back towards the .500 mark. The Red Sox have won their last four series and look to disrupt a stacked AL East.

After starting May dropping 6 of 7 games, the Red Sox have gone 13-6, moving their overall record to 23-25 on the season. While it would take a miracle for the Red Sox to catch up to the New York Yankees or the Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox have seen their playoff chances jump from 19.6% on May 8th to 37.7% on May 30th.

The big question is; can the Red Sox keep the laundry cart rolling and sustain this level of play? The answer is no. No they cannot.

Since May 9th the Red Sox have been the best offense in baseball, posting a league leading 161 team wRC+. This is 26% better than the second place Los Angeles Dodgers’ offense over that same time period.

While that level of offense is not sustainable, the Red Sox have a line up full of talented offensive players. On the other hand, their pitching has been relatively mediocre.

Since May 9th the Red Sox’s pitching staff is 24th in FIP and 19th in staff ERA, which is a testament to how hot their offense is at the moment. Even during this impressive run, the Red Sox have received below league average production from their pitching staff, but their offense has carried the load.

The Red Sox offense is certainly a talented group, but they won’t stay this hot forever. That is why this trade deadline could be a real test for the Red Sox.

Presently, the Red Sox have the number 11 farm system per Baseball America. If the Red Sox genuinely feel they have a shot at winning a title, they will need to fortify their pitching staff.

The Oakland Athletics’ Frankie Montas is a name that has been churning around the rumor mill since the season began and would be a fit in Boston. This is the type of arm the Red Sox would need to pair with a Nathan Eovaldi to make themselves a short series threat.

Montas is just one example. The Red Sox have the prospect capital to obtain a frontline arm, but as tempting as that may be for the Sox, it might not be worth it to sell the farm this season.

While the signing of Trevor Story certainly seemed like a move to help the Red Sox win now and win later, it also might have signaled the end of the Xander Bogaerts era in Boston.

Frankly, the Red Sox may have to take a realistic look at things and simply try to do the best with what they presently have.

With Chris Sale nearing a rehab assignment, he could be the major midseason acquisition the Red Sox are hoping for. In 42.2 innings in 2021, Sale did not look exactly like his old self, but he definitely put up numbers approaching what Frankie Montas has produced over the past two seasons.

Heading into the summer, the Boston Red Sox find themselves in between a rock and a hard place. Their offense is clicking, but their pitching corps are thin. If they sell their future to compete now, that still might not be enough to keep up with the American League’s elite. To stand pat may not be a move that pleases the Red Sox fanbase, but it may be the best move to ensure the Red Sox are competitive down the road.