The Boston Red Sox find themselves in an awkward spot with the MLB trade deadline one week away.
On one hand, they're only three games behind in the Wild Card race with 65 games left in the season. On the other, they're 6-15 in July and don't look like a team capable of contending come October. That polarization has sparked the debate, should the Red Sox be buyers or sellers?
Tomase: Are Red Sox buyers or sellers? Execs share mixed impressions
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Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom isn't a fan of either of those labels.
“It’s useful shorthand, but internally we hate thinking that way. And I don’t think anybody around here likes thinking that way,” Bloom told NESN's Tom Caron on Tuesday. “I can tell you, like I said, I think everybody kind of moved between what happened before the break and what happened this weekend and wrote off this group. We’re not.
“We’re trying to make the postseason. So, whatever that means — we’re going to explore a lot of stuff. Some of them might be things people expect, some of them might not be. But you know, we want to get this group into the postseason.”
That doesn't sound like an organization that plans to part ways with its stars.
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Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said earlier in the day that the team hasn't discussed a potential trade involving homegrown All-Stars Xander Bogaerts or Rafael Devers. Bloom echoed those sentiments, stating the Red Sox "don't plan to" part ways with either player.
One name to monitor, however, is J.D. Martinez. ESPN's Buster Olney reported on Tuesday that Boston has made its veteran designated hitter available in trade discussions. The soon-to-be 35-year-old is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
This next week ultimately could determine which direction Bloom and the Red Sox take at the deadline. The Red Sox have three games remaining in their current series vs. the Cleveland Indians, then they'll host the Milwaukee Brewers for a three-game set at Fenway Park.
The 2022 MLB trade deadline is set for Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. ET.