The Boston Red Sox are two games under .500 entering play on Tuesday. The team is 2 1/2 games out of a wild card spot, but they could fall out of contention if they do not start playing better.
The Red Sox have not played well since trading away Rafael Devers. Despite Craig Breslow’s desire to add at the trade deadline, if they are too far out of the postseason picture, they may have no choice but to trade away some assets. One of the players they could move is Aroldis Chapman.
Chapman will be a free agent after this season. The 37-year-old is having one of his best seasons, and many contenders would happily add him to their bullpen. FanSided’s Christopher Kline suggested the Toronto Blue Jays trade for Chapman to pass the Yankees in the American League East.
“Toronto’s bullpen is a decidedly mixed bag right now,” wrote Kline. “Jeff Hoffman began the season on a heater, but has since regressed to well below his career standards. His cumulative impact will probably land somewhere in the middle of the two extremes, but Hoffman’s 4.84 ERA does not exactly peg him as a lights-out closer. The Blue Jays could use another late-relief heavyweight to ease the pressure on Hoffman. Look no further than their division rivals in Boston. If the Red Sox keep slipping out of contention, there’s no reason not to trade a 37-year-old Aroldis Chapman midway through a one-year contract.”
Chapman is a seven-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion and former Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year. He has a 1.32 ERA in 37 games. He has notched 14 saves with just one blown opportunity.
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The Red Sox have no use for a shutdown closer if they are out of contention. However, Breslow may simply not trade him to ensure his team continues to at least fight to make the postseason.
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