Red Sox get strange 'loser' label from ESPN after two 'bizarre' trades

Red Sox get strange ‘loser’ label from ESPN after two ‘bizarre’ trades originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Boston Red Sox made some major moves at this year’s MLB trade deadline. While their earlier move for Curtis Mead didn’t work out thanks to some horrendous luck with a broken bone in his Red Sox debut, these other moves should warrant some intrigue.

Adding Adley Rutschman, the three-time All-Star catcher, is a very fun move for the Red Sox. He’s on the injured list and will miss some time still, but he’s a very fun addition for the Red Sox.

They also traded Marcelo Mayer to the San Francisco Giants for Erik Miller, who could be a sneaky great opener for Bryan Bello when needed. But, overall, ESPN’s David Schoenfield called the Red Sox a “loser” of the deadline thanks to those “bizarre” trades.

Red Sox called a ‘loser’ of trade deadline due to ‘bizarre’ trades

“Look, the Red Sox might turn into winners, but the Rutschman and Mayer deals are pretty bizarre,” Schoenfield writes.

Part of why Schoenfield is calling the Red Sox a “loser” of this year’s deadline is that the price they paid to acquire Rutschman was too high.

Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, Enddy Azocar, a player to be named later, and Carlos Narvaez for Rutschman and Jake Rogers was a massive trade.

Craig Breslow went big-fish hunting and landed the best catcher who was traded this summer. But, the price might’ve been too high for someone under club control only through 2027, and won’t even suit up right away.

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The Mayer trade was also a bit risky, as parting with him when his value is likely at its lowest does draw some question marks. Of course, the Red Sox might believe Mayer isn’t actually all that good, hence their trade to the Giants.

But, even with the risk of the Mayer and Rutschman trades, calling the Red Sox a “loser” of the trade deadline might be a step too far.

Sure, things could blow up in Breslow’s face with their deadline deals, but the upside is very much apparent. If this works, the Red Sox could be legitimate World Series contenders.

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