HOUSTON - Are the Red Sox better after this trade deadline? That's a tough one.
You subtracted a really important piece in Christian Vazquez, and a veteran reliever in Jake Diekman, replacing them with first baseman Eric Hosmer, outfielder Tommy Pham and catcher Reese McGuire.
Certainly, Tuesday night's Red Sox 2-1 win over the Astros offered support for the argument that Chaim Bloom had bolstered the lineup, with Pham singling and then flying home first on a Rafael Devers' double. He also played a solid left field, showing off an above-average arm. Meanwhile, Vazquez weakly grounded out in a ninth-inning pinch-hitting role.
That, however, is just one game.
But there is one element of the additions that might actually put the perception over the top as these days unfold. With Hosmer and Pham, particularly, the Red Sox' got a bit edgier ... in a good way. And for this particular well-meaning group that can potentially be an impactful piece of the equation.
"He’s a pro. Guys are going to love him," said Pham of Hosmer, who the outfielder player with in San Diego. "He’s probably going to come here with a chip on his shoulder now, and I might love it, truthfully. I think teammates, coaches and fans are all going to love it.
"Sometimes you just might need a little edge. That’s with anybody, whether you’re a ballplayer or a salesman. You just need a little bit of motivation sometimes."
J.D. Martinez concurred while reflecting on these Red Sox just minutes after the trade deadline.
"It’s a different team. It’s giving your team a different look," he said. "You never know. It could be what we need."
And then there was the synopsis by Nathan Eovaldi.
"I think the guys are believing in ourselves again," he told WEEI.com while walking to the bus Tuesday night.
"You never know what's going to happen. J.D. and I are still here. Bogey (Xander Bogaerts) is still here. All the talks were that we were going to be traded. It shows us they believe in us, and they believe in the guys we have. It's similar from last year where we make a big splash. We'll see what happens."
How it the alterations translate remain to be seen, but the not-so-subtle push provided by the newcomers - both on the field and in the clubhouse - will be interesting to watch.
As Pham points out, San Diego's loss might be Boston's gain.
"It might break some guys' hearts in that (Padres) clubhouse, but everybody understands this is a business," he said of the Hosmer transaction. "I can see it affecting a lot of guys in that locker room."
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