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Red Sox wish list for 2025 Trade Deadline

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This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BOSTON — Following a thrilling, 9-8, comeback win that took 11 innings in Philadelphia on Wednesday night, the Red Sox enjoyed a day of rest on Thursday.

It comes at a good time. And with a clear marker in front of them.

There is exactly one week to go before the July 31 Trade Deadline, and manager Alex Coras team has put itself in position to be buyers.

Despite a 2-4 road trip coming out of the All-Star break, Boston (55-49) is still on the periphery of the American League East race, trailing the Jays by six games, and is currently tied with the Mariners for the second Wild Card spot.

Here are some areas the Red Sox are likely to target in this final week before the Deadline.

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said as far back as the Rafael Devers trade over a month ago that starting pitching is an area he’d like to add to. Events of the last few weeks have only made that more of a priority. Though the rotation has been solid overall of late, the old adage that you never have enough starting pitching is just about always true.

Tanner Houck had a recurrence of the right flexor strain that originally led to his placement on the injured list over two months ago, and there’s no telling when or if he returns this season. Kutter Crawford first had a knee injury, then suffered a right wrist injury that took place off the field. The bottom line is that the team’s leader in innings in 2024 won’t throw a single pitch in ‘25. Then there is Hunter Dobbins, a bright spot as a rookie who suffered a torn right ACL in his final start before the All-Star break.

There are some intriguing starting pitchers who could be traded, including Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen, Seth Lugo and Taj Bradley. Everyone knows how much Breslow loves pitching. It will be somewhat surprising if the Deadline passes without him adding a new member of the rotation.

Arizona’s Josh Naylor would have been a tremendous fit, but he was acquired by the Mariners on Thursday night. Baltimore’s Ryan O’Hearn is another left-handed hitting first baseman who could be on the move.

The Red Sox were 0-7 in road extra-inning games before at last pulling out that big win in Philly on Wednesday.

Another high-leverage arm could be significant for the Red Sox to reverse the outcome of some of those tight games – both at home and on the road. Justin Slaten, the team’s primary setup man going into the season, has made minimal progress since going on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation at the start of June.

Closer Aroldis Chapman has three strong setup men in Jordan Hicks, Garrett Whitlock and Justin Wilson. But the top contenders always have a ‘pen full of big arms that can be deployed from the fifth or sixth inning on. Look for Breslow to add at least one reliever.

Carlos Narváez has been one of the surprises of the season for the Red Sox after spending most of the last eight seasons in the Yankees’ farm system. His emergence is exactly why the Red Sox don’t want him to wear down as catchers so often do. To avoid Narváez hitting a wall, Breslow could seek a backup who can provide some offense — which Connor Wong hasn’t been able to do.

As the starting catcher last season, Wong had a .758 OPS. He hasn’t been close to that as the backup, producing no extra-base hits and one RBI in 90 at-bats.

Given how hard it is to find catchers who can hit, Boston’s best hope is to keep working with Wong in hopes he can find something offensively. However, Breslow pulled off a surprise last year acquiring veteran Danny Jansen at the Deadline. Don’t be surprised if he at least attempts to make a similar acquisition a year later.

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