It was a painful few days for Red Sox fans.
While the Yankees were securing the services of middle-of-the-order bats Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo at the trade deadline, the Red Sox spent July 30 only dealing for a pair of relief pitchers (Austin Davis, Hansel Robles).
And even though the Red Sox did trade for Kyle Schwarber the day before the deadline, the shock-and-awe moves by the Yankees -- coupled with a New York winning streak and Sox losing skid -- led to discomfort throughout the Boston fan base.
So, when asked on the Greg Hill Show about the perception that the Yankees were going for it while the Red Sox were waiting back, it was no surprise that Red Sox team president Sam Kennedy offered a pointed rebuttal.
"They had to be active because I think they are 3-10 against us, Greg," Kennedy said.
He added, "I disagree with the premise that we’re standing pat. When you’re adding Kyle Schwarber and you’re bringing in two pieces in the bullpens, right-handed and left-handed. I just disagree with the premise that we’re standing pat. I think it’s a compliment to the group that we have and what Alex Cora and his staff have done. We’re at 109 games into the season and we’re a game out of first-place. We’re right there. We are absolutely going for it, trying to get into the postseason and seeing where it gets us. You never count out the Yankees. They are always going to try and improve. They do a great job, obviously. We feel we did what was right for us, and they did what was right for them. We’ll see how the next 50-plus games go. It should be fun."
Kennedy did reiterate that the Red Sox were thrilled to secure the services of Schwarber, who appears close to a minor-league rehab assignment after testing his injured hamstring on the basepaths, Wednesday.
"He’s a guy who has been in the postseason, who has actually come back from injury. Everybody knows what he did in 2016," Kennedy said, referencing Schwarber's return from a significant knee injury with the Cubs. "So beyond that, we needed to add some left-handed bat to the lineup. From all of our work, intel, and research, he is an incredible force in that clubhouse. The positivity. Leadership. Setting the right example. We’re really excited to add the caliber of person, someone who had that positivity and is a World Series champion to this club."