Red Sox Wilyer Abreu Trade Idea Lands All-Star Starter, New First Baseman
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The Boston Red Sox are returning from the All-Star break with a new lease on the season.
After bouncing back from a shocking trade of franchise slugger Rafael Devers, the team strung together a 10-game win streak heading into the break. Now, just ahead of the trade deadline, it looks like the front office will be looking to add some key pieces to fortify a playoff run.
"After riding a 10-game winning streak into the break, the Red Sox sure seem headed firmly toward buying mere weeks after offloading Rafael Devers," Zachary Rymer wrote for Bleacher Report. "Starting pitching is atop the list of items they need to address, and they're reportedly aiming as high as Minnesota Twins All-Star Joe Ryan."
Though Ryan would be a formidable option alongside team ace Garrett Crochet, Rymer proposed a trade that would bring in a different reigning All-Star starter, along with a new first base option. He proposed a package of outfielder Wilyer Abreu and prospects Franklin Arias and Payton Tolle to the Washington Nationals in exchange for MacKenzie Gore and Nathaniel Lowe.
BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 28: Wilyer Abreu #52 of the Boston Red Sox looks on before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland....
BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 28: Wilyer Abreu #52 of the Boston Red Sox looks on before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by) More
Taetsch/Getty
"Should Boston pivot to Gore, it would be to a younger and arguably better pitcher," Rymer added. "He's what they need in a rotation that is a little too unstable behind Garrett Crochet, while Lowe would likewise stabilize a first base spot that remains unsettled months after Triston Casas' season-ending injury."
With the Nationals heading toward seller status, it seems Gore and Lowe could be on the trade block. And they would certainly answer some questions about the Red Sox roster as the team looks to make a playoff run.
However, the idea of dealing Abreu could be a non-starter. The Red Sox do have a logjam in the outfield, but Jarren Duran seems more likely as the odd man out. Abreu is a reigning Gold Glove Award winner and his defense in right field would be hard for the team to replace.
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They could use another starter they can trust in the playoffs, and with Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer both free agents at the end of the year, it certainly wouldn't hurt if that addition was a controllable piece. Keller, who's 29, has a 2.59 ERA over his last eight starts, and signed a five-year, $77 million extension before last season in Pittsburgh, would fit the bill. So would Miami's Edward Cabrera, if they can muster enough prospects to make that deal happen. Boston Red Sox (55-49, 3rd in AL East) Biggest Need: Starting pitching Possible Target: Edward Cabrera, SP, Miami Marlins Could they trade from their surplus of big-league outfielders to acquire another impact starter behind Garrett Crochet? It's certainly possible. But their farm system is deep enough that they could also land that pitcher other ways. 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Looking for relief Los Angeles Dodgers (60-43, 1st in NL West) Biggest Need: Relief pitching Possible Target: Ryan Helsley, RP, St. Louis Cardinals President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman's goal after another offseason of significant spending was not to buy in July. Unfortunately, their pitching staff — which has a 4.28 ERA this year — has been an injured mess again. Fixing the bullpen was an obvious requirement even before closer Tanner Scott left his outing Monday with a stinging sensation in his forearm. The Dodgers could be in the market for an outfielder and a starter, too, but high-end relief pitching should be their primary focus at the deadline, even with Blake Treinen due back soon. 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Seattle Mariners (54-48, 2nd in AL West) Biggest Need: Corner infield Possible Target: Ryan O'Hearn, 1B, Baltimore Orioles Among players currently on their roster, the Mariners have gotten five home runs from their third basemen and six from their first basemen. (Rowdy Tellez, who had 11 homers in Seattle, was released in June.) I'd expect them to add at least one corner infielder, and they possess the prospects to land O'Hearn, Josh Naylor or one of the top slugging rentals. Houston Astros (60-42, 1st in AL West) Biggest Need: Left-handed bat (among many things) Possible Target: Willi Castro, UTIL, Minnesota Twins With 17 players on the injured list, the first-place Astros could go a lot of different directions here. How does the latest, a hamstring injury to Isaac Paredes, potentially alter their priorities? 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There are plenty of other options, though, from Laureano to Cedric Mullins to Luis Robert Jr. They're willing to move players around, so I don't think they'd have any hesitation to move a center fielder to left, and Robert possesses the type of upside that could entice Preller. Texas Rangers (53-50, 3rd in AL West) Biggest Need: Another bat…anywhere Possible Target: Josh Naylor, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks The Rangers are still on the outside of the playoff picture, 1.5 games back in the wild-card race. But after winning eight of their last 10 games, and with a pitching staff that has by far the lowest ERA in the majors, it seems more likely they'd be buyers or stand pat than sell. It's no mystery that the offense could use a boost just about anywhere. The Rangers rank in the bottom 10 in RBI at both first base and DH, and Naylor could help drive in runs at either spot. Tampa Bay Rays (53-50, 4th in AL East) Biggest Need: Relief pitching? Outfield? Possible Target: Dennis Santana, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates Like the Rangers, the Rays are also 53-50 and 1.5 games back of a wild-card spot. Unlike the Rangers, they're trending the wrong direction, having lost 12 of 18 games in July. The Rays, who acquired reliever Bryan Baker from the Orioles earlier this month, could really go any direction at this point. It's possible they do a little buying and a little selling. If they do the former, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them either scour the outfield market or continue to bolster the bullpen. Right-handed hitters are batting .262 against the Tampa Bay bullpen this year, which is the fifth-highest mark in MLB. Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner . recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
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Hamilton Spectator
29 minutes ago
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Opportunity in Washington helped Mystics rookies Citron and Iriafen become WNBA All-Stars
WASHINGTON (AP) — When Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen were drafted by a rebuilding Washington team, it was clear they'd have a chance to make a quick impact. It turned out to be a historic one. Citron and Iriafen were both WNBA All-Stars last weekend , becoming the first pair of rookie teammates to achieve that since 1999. Their inclusion was an acknowledgement of how quickly they've established themselves in the league — and the way they've helped improve the Mystics' outlook. 'From the beginning, Slim (guard Brittney Sykes) told me like, 'You're not a rookie. We drafted you for a reason, we drafted Kiki for a reason, so you guys just go out and do what you do,'' Citron said. That's not something rookies — even first-round picks like Citron and Iriafen — can take for granted. The WNBA is a famously tough league to break into. For every immediate rookie star like Paige Bueckers, there's another high pick facing a slower adjustment timeline. Bueckers, Citron and Iriafen were all All-Stars, the first time three rookies made it since 2011. But they're the only rookies averaging over 10 points per game this year. Some of that comes down to opportunity. After finishing 14-26 last year, Washington brought in Jamila Wideman as its general manager and Sydney Johnson as its coach. Then the Mystics took Citron out of Notre Dame with the third pick in the draft and Iriafen out of Southern California with the next pick. Having both become All-Stars was pretty much the best-case scenario. Especially since both had a chance to go to Indiana and spend time with some of the game's biggest stars. 'I think there's another couple of jumps that they're looking to take, and I think they were rubbing elbows with some of those players that they aspire to be like, to outperform,' Johnson said. The 6-foot-3 Iriafen scored 17 points in the game and Citron, a 6-1 guard, added 11. Citron also took part in the 3-point contest — and the winner, Sabrina Ionescu, said she'd give half her winnings to the Washington rookie. Johnson said observing how players like Ionescu go about their business is valuable. 'Sabrina put on a show with the 3-point contest. Sonia knows how good of a shooter she is — Sonia is — and then you look, and there's like a whole other level there with Sabrina,' Johnson said. 'That's respecting Sonia, but that's calling it what it is. Just seeing pro habits, how they approach the game, how competitive they are, how they're on all the time.' Now the challenge for Citron and Iriafen is to maintain their level of production. Citron is averaging 13.8 points per game, second on the team behind Sykes, another Washington All-Star. Iriafen is averaging 12 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds. They won't be sneaking up on anyone after being named All-Stars. In the first game back from the break, Washington lost to Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Citron was held to seven points, but Iriafen contributed 13. 'Not being one-dimensional, and finding different ways to impact the game,' Iriafen said of her challenge the rest of the way. 'Maybe it is scoring, maybe it's being more of a defensive threat. Just not relying on what I did in the first half, and just continuing to get better.' The Mystics (11-12) were in eighth place entering Thursday's action, a half-game ahead of expansion Golden State (10-12) and not far behind Las Vegas (12-11) and Indiana (12-12). The loss to the Sparks was the start of a five-game homestand that could be crucial to Washington's postseason hopes. The Mystics won the 2019 championship but haven't posted a winning record since 2022 and have missed the playoffs the last two years. Whatever the stretch run has in store, Washington can look forward to the future after what the Mystics have seen from their rookie All-Star duo. 'I think it's amazing,' Citron said. 'I think me and Kiki work really hard, and it's just cool that people are seeing that.' ___ AP WNBA:
