Breaking down the Christian Vazquez deal
HOUSTON - The bread crumbs became one big loaf of bread. That's what the Christian Vazquez trade represented.
For weeks we have been trying to decipher exactly what path Chaim Bloom was heading down when it came to the trade deadline. Monday, one day before decision day, the first defining move was made - dealing away one of the Red Sox' most important players for two minor leaguers.
The move certainly suggested to a clubhouse of baseball players this wasn't exactly going to be the go-for-it approach those wearing Red Sox uniforms were hoping for.
"It’s difficult," said Monday's winning pitcher, Nathan Eovaldi. "Especially, Vazqy being a catcher, he relates to both sides. All the pitchers, the offense, the outfielders, the infielders, everybody. For him to leave, everything he has been able to accomplish over here with the Red Sox - fifth in games caught, winning a World Series in ’18 - it’s one of those friendships that will never be gone even though he’s not with us now. But it’s definitely difficult having to say bye to him, especially at 5:40 before the game. We were about to go over the Astros scouting report and go through all of that. But it’s difficult seeing him go. We still have tomorrow, so we don’t know what is going to happen."
"Tomorrow" is Tuesday. And Tuesday is the most important day of Bloom's tenure as chief Red Sox decision-maker.
Sure, the Vazquez deal is a tip-of-the-hat to the future. And certainly the acquisitions of outfielder Tommy Pham and catcher Reese McGuire seem to be nothing more than stop-gaps. But Bloom has left the door open.
"Obviously, we still have about 20 hours to go before the trade deadline, and it is an incomplete picture," the Chief Baseball Officer said during a Zoom meeting with the media in the midst of what would be a 3-2 win over the Astros. "There’s no question obviously, Christian is playing at a really high level right now, and moving him is going to impact this club. We’re aware of that. We're trying to help the club. We still want to make the postseason and we're also trying to make the right moves for the organization. So the puzzle is incomplete right now.
"Obviously, I don't have a crystal ball on everything that will happen in the next 20 hours because we are only one part of deciding to make a trade. We need other teams to also want to do that. But our intent is to do all those things. Our intent is to put ourselves in a position to make the playoffs. We have gotten ourselves in a position where that's going to be difficult, but we also have a lot of talent and we believe that that is possible to do. And we also want to make sure we're doing right by the organization and making the right moves for the organization as well."
Got that. "We still want to make the postseason."
We will find out.
Trade J.D. Martinez. Trade Nathan Eovaldi. Those sort of moves will immediately devalue those words, that statement. Teams that actually want to win don't push those sort of players aside for what might be. If the deadline comes and goes with one of those trades actually happening with actual hope of competing still existing, that will be Bloom's greatest feat to date.
But Bloom hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt, which is why players who exited the visitors' clubhouse Monday might be walking on more pins and needles than ever before.
The good (and healthier) version of these Red Sox - even without Vazquez - can make a case for not waving the white flag. They are three games out of the Wild Card race, possessing as much talent as any team in the American League with the exception of the Yankees, Astros and, maybe, Blue Jays.
This is why these Red Sox are pleading for their boss to believe in them. Vazquez is one thing. But everyone still understands Tuesday is the real fork in the road.
"There’s a number of different things that we’re trying to do and the puzzle isn’t complete," Bloom reiterated. "We also brought in big league players tonight and we're hoping to continue to do that. This is one that I know hurts in the clubhouse. I’m very aware of that. Even sitting here in Boston right now just because it’s easier to operate out of here and won’t be able to be there until after the deadline, I know it hurts. That’s something that we don’t take lightly with these guys busting their tails out there as we speak and on a daily basis.
"I know the effort that they put in and I know the clubhouse that we have and I really think it’s a good clubhouse. I know this is going to hurt. Like I said, we have to be mindful of it. We have to do our best to be prepared for it. In this case obviously, the timing of different moves as we approach the deadline is not something that you completely control, and sometimes you have to make moves recognizing that there might be other things to come that you try to pull off and we’re not going to be able to control the reactions that everybody has, and they’re entitled to their reactions. We’re going to be accountable for those.
"We’re going to be available to explain it and own everything that we’re doing. I know this is something that’s not going to make anybody happy and that’s a credit to who Christian is, but also we’re aiming to get to a point and I’m hopeful that we will get to a point where we can look at everybody in the eye and feel that we have a club that if we do play up to our potential, we can get to the playoffs and also that we’re taking care of the organization as well.”
That was the talk. Now we wait for the real action.
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