It's about that time. Let's talk some Major League Baseball trade deadline.
While there is still two months to go until the deadline, it surely is not crazy to introduce some possible acquisitions that might help separate the Red Sox in what figures to be a wild American League East race.
Remember, in 2003 the Red Sox proactively hit the trade market by acquiring Byung-Hyun Kim for Shea Hillenbrand on May 29.
As we sit here, perhaps the spot on the Red Sox' roster that needs to be solidified above all others is the late-inning bridge to closer Matt Barnes. Sure, there might be internal options. Adam Ottavino has been better of late. Ryan Brasier will be returning semi-soon from his torn calf muscle. And Brandon Workman has shown promise while remaking himself in Worcester.
But this is about taking things to another level. A guy like Pittsburgh closer Richard Rodriguez can do that.
So, who says no?
Red Sox get: Reliever Richard Rodriguez.
Pirates get: Infielder Michael Chavis.
On the surface, it feels like a stretch to suggest the Pirates would be giving up on Rodriguez, who has two more years of arbitration-eligibility after this season. But ... He will be 34 years old by the time he reaches free agency, and those couple of years leading up to that could get expensive for the always-cash-strapped Pirates.
Make no mistake about it, Rodriguez would be a difference-maker. He has been one of Major League Baseball's best relievers this season, holding hitters to a .127 batting average while giving up just two earned runs in 21 innings. He has also struck out 16 and walked just one.
It's not complicated how Rodriguez gets it done. He throws his fastball, and throws it a lot. Ninety-percent of the time, to be exact. And hitters don't hit it, with opponents managing just a .119 batting average against it. While it's a pitch that sits at about 93 mph, its spin rate is in the 95th percentile of all MLB pitchers.
As for Chavis, it would seem the Pirates would be the perfect new start. With the Red Sox, it appears to be a bit of a square-peg-round-hole scenario with Bobby Dalbec and Rafael Devers entreated at the corners for the foreseeable future.
It would certainly seem that in a place like Pittsburgh, Chavis could add significant for a team starved for power. (The Pirates have the fewest homers of any team in baseball.) Their top prospect, Ke'Bryan Hayes, would seemingly be the preferred route at third base going forward, but first base (with occasional stops at other infield positions) could be right down Chavis' alley.
Oh, and remember who drafted Chavis in the first-round of the 2014 MLB Draft? That would be current Pirates general manager Ben Cherington.
As for Chaim Bloom's approach regarding this type of acquisition, look at 2019 when his Rays made one of the subtly most impactful deadline moves by securing the services of then-Marlins reliever Nick Anderson.
Anderson came in and proved to be the Rays' best reliever for the final few months of 2019 and in 2020, with Tampa giving up minor-league outfielder Jesus Sanchez and swingman Ryne Stanek.
Something to think about ...