Craig Breslow break silence on Red Sox's trade deadline plans
Red Sox starters have a 4.13 ERA this season, and the team is without Triston Casas for the rest of the year. First base and the starting rotation look like clear needs, but Craig Breslow thinks first base might not be as big a hole as some fans think.
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"Some of that (your needs) often depends on what moment in time you ask the question," he said, per MassLive's Chris Cotillo. "I think if we're going to boost the rotation, trying to find impact starting pitching, not just, starting pitching that can take a spot in the rotation. We do feel really good about the depth that we have. At one point, we would have said, 'Our first baseman is out for the year.' But then you look at what (Abraham) Toro and Romy (Gonzalez) have been able to do platooning over there and that's the equivalent of a really good first baseman. We'll be open-minded but based on the performance we're getting right now, I don't think it's a massive, glaring hole."
Unlike most buyers, the Red Sox potentially have an All-Star to trade away. The Red Sox outfield has been a hot topic all season. Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela are all capable of playing every day, but are having to share three outfield spots.
Anthony is not going to be traded, and Rafaela has already signed an extension. Between Duran and Abreu, the former is older and has less club control. Duran was an All-Star last year, and his numbers have declined, but he would still be an upgrade for some outfield-needy teams. However, Breslow did not seem eager to trade any of his outfielders.
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"When you have four guys that are capable of playing every night in three outfield spots, it just means that you've got a weapon on your bench," Breslow said per Cotillo. "It's an opportunity to keep guys fresh and shift and cycle through getting guys in and getting guys rest. Alex (Cora) manages games very aggressively and finds opportunities to pinch-hit and find great matchups. I've said this every time I've been asked: There's no such thing as having too many good players. That's not actually a problem."
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The Red Sox are going to mix Rafaela in at second base after Bregman's return led to David Hamilton being optioned. Marcelo Mayer still figures to see a majority of the time at second base. Breslow seems more focused on adding pitching and mentioned specifically how adding pitching could boost their bullpen by allowing some current starters to serve in long relief roles. Duran could be included in a deal to land an elite starter with some club control.
"You can never have too much pitching," Breslow said per Cotillo. "Some of this is, as guys get healthy, talking about Tanner and (Hunter) Dobbins and (Richard) Fitts and (Kyle) Harrison, and how do we figure out who we want to keep built out as starting pitching depth and who we think might be a weapon in a multi-inning role out of the 'pen."
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