Alex Cora hopes Red Sox add at deadline, but adds: ‘I think this year is a little bit different'

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2 days ago

MINNEAPOLIS — In September, major league managers confess to watching the out-of-town scoreboard to see how the competition is doing as the playoff races intensify.
In late July, they tend to keep one eye focused on MLB Trade Rumors to see which teams with whom they're competing have improved with acquisitions.
'I pay attention,' said Alex Cora before the Red Sox began a three-game road trip here against the Twins. 'I know what's going on.'
In the last week, Seattle added first baseman Josh Naylor and the Yankees acquired infield help (Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario). Detroit obtained starter Chris Paddack, who scheduled to face the Sox Tuesday, from the Twins.
Moves are being made. To date, the Red Sox have been quiet.
Not long ago, Cora attributed the team's second-half struggles in recent seasons to its passive approach at past trade deadlines, pointedly noting 'if you're not getting better, you're falling behind.'
Particularly under former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, Cora let his frustration be known when the team was either unwilling or unable to make midseason upgrades in 2022 and 2023.
But while he be trying temper expectations, Cora said Monday that while additions would be welcome this summer, they aren't as imperative as past seasons.
'I think this year is a little bit different,' said Cora, 'because our pitching staff is really good. The bullpen is solid so far and we're healthy. Last year, we were limping into the trade deadline and we tried to make a few moves here and there (with Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia), but it wasn't adding — it was kind of substituting for the guys (Chris Martin and Justin Slaten) that were banged up.
'This year, we're at full force in the bullpen (though Aroldis Chapman is currently sidelined with back spasms). You saw it over the weekend, you saw it for the past month and a half. It's one of the best units in the big leagues (the Boston bullpen entered Monday with a 3.40 ERA, fourth-best in the MLB). If we (continue), we're going to be OK.'
A big difference between this season and last is the presence of Garrett Crochet, who gives the Red Sox something they had lacked for a number of seasons: an honest-to-goodness, front-of-the-rotation starter.
Crochet has, as hoped, extended winning streaks while stopping losing streaks and is among the league leaders in innings pitched, lightening the bullpen load every five days. His mere presence boosts confidence team-wide.
'Crochet is a game-changer,' said Cora. 'It's a lot different than the last few years.'
And though he's stumbled some in his last two outings, Lucas Giolito has emerged as a solid. No. 2 option behind Crochet while Brayan Bello (3.32) has taken significant steps forward.
But there's also no denying the team's thinned out depth. Thanks to injuries, Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, Hunter Dobbins and Patrick Sandoval, each envisioned as reinforcements in the second half, will not be eturning to contribute.
'You're one pitch away from someone getting backed up,' conceded Cora. 'We were talking about our depth in spring training and how deep it was. We're shorter than where we were in February. We're still comfortable with the guys that we have here and the guys that we have in the minor leagues. We're always looking for pitching, trying to improve that area and we'll see what happens.'
The cost of doing business this time of year, always high, has become, according to some, prohibitive or nearly so. So few teams have starting pitching to deal that even rentals as fetching exorbitant returns.
And acquiring quality starters with remaining control? The asks are so outlandish that almost no one expects a pitcher of that quality to be moved by 6 p.m. Thursday.
Again, perhaps Cora knows something we don't. Perhaps Craig Breslow has told him that even back-of-the-rotation options like Charlie Morton are outside of the team's comfort zone.
Or maybe Cora is attempting to manage expectations in the clubhouse in the event that Breslow is unable to upgrade.
But the air of desperation at the deadline the last few Julys is clearly absent this year. Even in a worst-case scenario in which his team stands pat, Cora feels better about his present roster than he has at any comparable point in the last three seasons.
'I think overall, we're capable, with the team that we have, to make a run and make it to October,' said Cora. 'But as always, we have to improve certain areas. Is it from the minor leagues or a trade? We'll see which route we take. We're not perfect, but there's not a perfect team in the American League.'
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