Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are considering dealing some of their veterans ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, including five-time All-Star JD Martinez.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post also reported that catcher Christian Vazquez and starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, who are impending free agents like Martinez, could be on the move.

Shortstop Xander Bogaerts will stay, per Heyman, but he can opt out of his contract and leave Boston after this season.

The Red Sox have been in a complete tailspin since July 5, when a 8-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays kickstarted a 5-16 stretch that's included a 28-5 defeat to the Toronto Blue Jays and a pair of road losses to the New York Yankees by a combined score of 28-3.

Boston entered Saturday last in the American League East with a 50-51 record, although the Sox are just four games behind the Rays for the third and final AL Wild Card spot at the moment.

Still, the writing may be on the wall for a team that is bleeding runs and losing games right now, and trading off the team's best available assets could be the best move at this juncture.

The 34-year-old Martinez is hitting .289 (.818 OPS) with nine home runs and 38 RBI. The 31-year-old Vazquez has posted eight homers, 40 RBI and a .280 batting average (.754 OPS). The 32-year-old Eovaldi has gone 4-3 with a 4.43 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 80 strikeouts in 81.1 innings (15 starts).

As far as specific teams go, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic speculated that the Mets could be in the mix for Martinez and Vazquez if any potential deals with some Chicago Cubs players on the block fall through.

For now, the Boston trio is still in town as the Red Sox host the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday and Sunday.

Boston Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez is expected to be traded by MLB's Aug. 2 deadline, even if the club turns things around and starts performing better, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.

An American League executive told Speier that he believes Martinez is "as good as gone."

The Red Sox are shopping Martinez ahead of the deadline, ESPN's Buster Olney (h/t Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors) reported earlier this week. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal added that he is generating interest from the New York Mets.

Martinez is in the final season of the five-year, $110 million deal he signed with the Red Sox ahead of the 2018 season and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.

The Red Sox are in the midst of a highly disappointing season, entering Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers last in the American League East with a 50-51 record, 18.5 games behind the first-place New York Yankees.

Boston also has just a 24.6 percent chance to make the playoffs, per FanGraphs, and that percentage keeps dropping. So, it wouldn't be surprising if the team moved Martinez, and possibly some other players, by the deadline.

Martinez has spent the last five seasons of his career with the Red Sox and was instrumental in helping them win the 2018 World Series. This season, however, he hasn't lived up to expectations, slashing .289/.358/.461 with nine home runs and 38 RBI in 85 games.

That said, he knows being traded this summer is a real possibility, per Speier:

"I've been in this game too long. The Red Sox are a first-class organization, but the industry in total, it's a business. At the end of the day, it's a business and everyone's going to treat it that way. So I don't get involved in that. I kind of just focus on what I can control, who I'm facing on the mound.

"Like the Drake song, 'There's no friends in the industry.' It's true. It's just the business. It's a hard situation. I understand it."

But while Martinez may be moved, star shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who is expected to decline his player option for 2023 to become a free agent this winter, said the Red Sox told him that he will not be traded.

In addition, third baseman Rafael Devers is not being included in trade talks despite Boston's recent skid.

The New York Mets are ready to make a splash on the trade market in hopes of making a deep playoff run.

The Mets are interested in trading for Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez and catcher Christian Vazquez, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, who noted Friday the team could "pivot" to the Boston duo if it finds the price for Willson Contreras and David Robertson of the Chicago Cubs to be too high.

The Red Sox are shopping Martinez, ESPN's Buster Olney (h/t Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors) reported earlier this week. It's unclear if the club is open to moving Vazquez, but he's set to become a free agent in the offseason.

Boston entered Friday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers fifth in the AL East with a 50-50 record. Pitchers Chris Sale, Michael Wacha, Rich Hill, James Paxton, Matt Strahm, Matt Barnes, Josh Taylor and Tyler Danish are on the injured list, as are position players Rafael Devers, Trevor Story, Christian Arroyo and Enrique Hernandez.

The Red Sox have a 26.6 percent chance to make the playoffs, per FanGraphs, so it would not be surprising if they were sellers before the deadline.

Martinez is in the final year of his contract, earning $19.4 million, which makes him a prime trade candidate. He has been a staple in the lineup since his arrival in 2018 and is hitting .293/.361/.466 in 84 games with nine home runs and 38 RBI.

While he can play the outfield, the 34-year-old is primarily a designated hitter. The Mets already acquired DH Daniel Vogelbach, but he is more of a platoon option against right-handed pitchers.

As for Vazquez, he's been one of the better offensive catchers in baseball. New York's top option right now is the defense-first Tomas Nido, who is hitting .218/.262/.251 with zero home runs and 16 RBI in 63 games.

James McCann, New York's starting catcher, is on the 10-day injured list with a strained oblique. Acquiring Vazquez from Boston would add some stability to the position down the stretch.

Vazquez has spent his eight-year career with Boston and is hitting .277/.321/.426 with eight home runs and 40 RBI in 81 games.

The Mets stand first in the National League East with a 61-37 record and are trying to hold off the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves (59-41).

Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts said he received confirmation from the club's front office he won't be moved before Tuesday's 2022 MLB trade deadline.

Bogaerts, who hit a go-ahead home run in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians, said he's "been playing better" since getting clarity on his future from Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and team president Sam Kennedy, though he didn't want to reveal too many details from the conversation.

"Yeah. I don't know if I should say that, but I hope I don't get in trouble," he told reporters. "But yeah, much better like that. Communication is always huge in everything in life. To get that type of feedback is beneficial, I would say."

Bloom explained Wednesday the front office wasn't "planning to discuss them with anybody" in reference to Bogaerts or Rafael Devers, but he added a caveat.

"The best thing I can say is we're not doing our jobs if we're not considering all possibilities," Bloom said.

The Red Sox have fallen to last place in the AL East, but that's more a sign of the division's strength than any type of severe weakness within the club.

They own a 50-50 record following Thursday's triumph over the Guardians. They were in second place in the AL East on June 26 with a 42-31 record before falling into a slump leading up to the All-Star break. They are 3.5 games behind the final wild-card spot.

Bogaerts told NESN's Jahmai Webster he's hopeful the club doesn't make any drastic changes and gives the players a chance to surge back during the stretch run of the regular season:

The 29-year-old shortstop has been a bright spot amid Boston's up-and-down year. He's compiled a .318 batting average and .856 OPS with eight homers and seven stolen bases in 96 games. His 4.3 WAR ranks second at the position behind the Atlanta Braves' Dansby Swanson (4.7), per FanGraphs.

Bogaerts' future with the club mostly came into question because his six-year, $120 million contract features an opt-out clause following the 2022 season. Losing him to free agency would obviously be a major setback for the organization.

His agent, Scott Boras, told Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe in May they didn't expect to discuss the contract situation with the team until the offseason.

So the Red Sox are taking on some risk if they keep Bogaerts through the deadline without assurances he's planning to either re-sign or pick up the option.

For now, it doesn't sound like a blockbuster trade is on the horizon, though.

J.D. Martinez might not be a member of the Boston Red Sox come Aug. 2.

The Red Sox are listening to offers for the veteran slugger, ESPN's Buster Olney said on Tuesday's episode of the Baseball Tonight podcast (h/t Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors).

The report comes after Red Sox team president Sam Kennedy said during an interview with WEEI (h/t Alex Speier of the Boston Globe) that "there's been no discussion or communication internally or externally" about trading either Rafael Devers or Xander Bogaerts ahead of the deadline.

Some believed Bogaerts could be a trade candidate this summer as he is expected to opt out of his contract with the Red Sox this fall and enter free agency. Devers was also speculated as a trade candidate as he and the BoSox have been unable to reach an agreement on an extension and he'll become an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season.

As for Martinez, he is in the final year of his contract, earning $19.35 million this season.

The 34-year-old has been with the Red Sox since 2018 and is in the midst of yet another impressive season in Boston, hitting .302/.368/.481 with nine home runs and 38 RBI in 81 games.

However, the Red Sox continue to lose standing in the AL East, sitting fourth with a 49-48 record, and appear further and further away from contending. They are 17 games behind the first-place New York Yankees and continue to fall behind the third-place Tampa Bay Rays.

Boston is also in danger of dropping to fifth in the division, with the Baltimore Orioles at 48-48.

In addition, the Red Sox are dealing with a slew of injuries. Pitchers Chris Sale, Michael Wacha, Rich Hill, James Paxton, Matt Strahm, Matt Barnes, Josh Taylor and Tyler Danish are on the injured list, as are Trevor Story, Christian Arroyo, Kike Hernandez and Devers.

If the Red Sox decide to sell, Martinez might not end up being the only player moved in Boston at this year's deadline, so keep an eye on the team as we inch closer to the Aug. 2 deadline.

It's reportedly become "increasingly realistic" the Boston Red Sox will be seller ahead of the 2022 MLB trade deadline on Aug. 2 after having fallen to fourth place in the AL East.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Tuesday rival executives expect Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom will be "open for business" with J.D. Martinez, Enrique "Kike" Hernandez and Nathan Eovaldi leading the notable names who could be placed on the trade block.

Even if Boston proceeds with a fire sale, Xander Bogaerts isn't among those who will likely be moved despite having a player option in his six-year, $120 million contract that could make him a free agent at season's end, per Passan.

The Red Sox have tumbled down the standings in recent weeks amid a cold stretch that includes a 2-8 record over their past 10 games. The skid was lowlighted by a 28-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.

Boston's record stands at 49-48, and it's three games behind the Seattle Mariners (52-45) for the final wild-card spot in a crowded AL playoff race.

If the front office decides contention isn't possible, it could take advantage of a trade market lacking sellers with high-impact assets.

Martinez, a longtime outfielder who's exclusively played designated hitter for the Red Sox this season, would immediately become one of the best players available. He's posted a .302/.368/.481 slash line with nine home runs in 81 appearances in 2022.

The 34-year-old slugger, who's coming off his fifth All-Star appearance, told WEEI's Rob Bradford the situation is "very weird" leading up to the deadline. He named Bogaerts, Eovaldi and Christian Vazquez as players in similar uncertain situations.

"For me, this is the fourth team I've been on and if you get traded that means you're going to be on a contending team, and if you don't get traded that means you are on a contending team," Martinez said. "It's a win-win."

Hernandez, 30, is on the IL with a hip injury, but once healthy he could provide a value as a utility player for a contender, similar to what he did with the Los Angeles Dodgers in recent years. He's played every position other than catcher in the big leagues.

Eovaldi, 32, has endured an up-and-down 2022 season en route to a 4.30 ERA, but his 79 strikeouts in 75.1 innings showcase some upside for interested teams.

All told, it's possible the Red Sox get hot over the next week and the front office decides to keep the group together to make a postseason push.

It sounds like a sell-off is becoming more probable with each passing loss, though.

The Boston Red Sox aren't expected to trade star shortstop Xander Bogaerts ahead of the Aug. 2 MLB trade deadline, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

"Rival executives anticipate that even if Boston unloads a half-dozen players, Bogaerts, the star 29-year-old shortstop, won't be among them, even though he's set to hit free agency this winter," per Passan.

Team president Sam Kennedy addressed Bogaerts' status during an interview on The Greg Hill Show:

Look, all I'll say is there has been no discussion or commentary internally or externally about moves related to the trade deadline involving Xander or (Rafael Devers) or anyone else to my knowledge at this point. We're focused on getting back in this thing and winning. [...]

We've said it repeatedly on these airwaves and in other forums that we've got a responsibility to do everything in our power to make sure that we're built to be competitive into the postseason. And Xander and Raffy and the guys who have gotten us there in the past, we hope they're a part of this for a long, long time.

The four-time All-Star can opt out of his six-year, $120 million contract in the winter, and that figures to be the route he takes based on his performance this season.

Bogaerts is batting .312 with a .443 slugging percentage and seven home runs in 93 games. Per FanGraphs, he's fourth among shortstops in WAR (3.7) and second in wOBA (.362).

Per Passan, Bogaerts will look to sign for $200 million or more as a free agent, and that's a reasonable benchmark if Corey Seager can get $325 million over 10 years from the Texas Rangers.

If the Red Sox hold onto the four-time Silver Slugger beyond the deadline, it could signal their desire to lock him down with a long-term extension. But Boston hasn't gone above and beyond to retain its top homegrown talent in recent years.

The team traded Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers rather than meet his asking price on a multiyear contract. In June, the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported the Sox and third baseman Rafael Devers "were eons apart in talks this spring" on an extension.

With the qualifying offer going nowhere, perhaps Boston is content to watch Bogaerts leave and receive a draft pick in the process.

Of course, Bogaerts basically holds all of the cards because he has a full no-trade clause. Although leaving the Red Sox, who at 49-48 are three games back of the final wild-card spot in the American League, might give him a better shot at contending for a title, he could be perfectly happy to remain right where he is for the second half of 2022.

In that case, Boston's hands would be tied.

Team USA will have a two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger in the middle infield for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

On Monday, USA Baseball announced Boston Red Sox second baseman Trevor Story will be part of the American team for the tournament next year.

Story is not the only notable Major Leaguer who will suit up for the Red, White and Blue.

Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout will play as the team captain, which was a notable development after he declined the opportunity to compete in 2017. The presence of the game's top American player also figured to help with roster building, and Story is a major addition.

The United States failed to finish in the top three in any of the first three World Baseball Classics in 2006, 2009 and 2013, but it won the entire competition in 2017 and will enter the 2023 edition as defending champions.

Notable players such as Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Andrew McCutchen, Marcus Stroman and Nolan Arenado led the way for the Americans the last time out, and Story and the rest of the 2023 roster will be under pressure to defend the crown.

The Red Sox infielder provides versatility since he was previously the starting shortstop for the Colorado Rockies and has played second base for Boston this season. That will help the United States mix and match the lineup depending on the opposition.

He is also a power hitter from a second base spot that isn't known for producing major sluggers.

Story is slashing .221/.289/.423 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI in 81 games for Boston this season and has five seasons with 24 or more dingers.

If he brings that type of power to the plate in next year's World Baseball Classic, he might be able to add winning a championship for his country to his resume.