BOSTON — If the Red Sox’ trade of Christian Vázquez on the eve of the deadline signaled a sell off was coming, it never came.
As Tuesday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline passed, there were no more big names going out the door — pending free agents J.D. Martinez and Nathan Eovaldi are staying, at least for the next two months — and the Red Sox ultimately made just one move on deadline day, acquiring first baseman Eric Hosmer and two prospects from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Jay Groome, one of Boston’s top pitching prospects.
When the dust cleared, the Red Sox upgraded at first base (Hosmer), downgraded at catcher (Reese McGuire), added a new outfielder (Tommy Pham), didn’t address the bullpen — though they traded Jake Diekman — and are still over the luxury tax threshold. They enter the final two months of the season and beyond without a clear direction on the franchise’s future after they middled between making a few moves in an effort to contend this season while simultaneously building for the future.
“People who felt this group was good enough to make a run at (the postseason) a few days ago, in my opinion, should still feel that way,” an optimistic Chaim Bloom said. “This group looks a little different, but I don’t think it’s any less talented. Depending how you look at what we did, you could say it’s more functional, especially with the stability we hope now to have at first base.”
Bloom said he expected to make more moves than he did on Tuesday — though he didn’t elaborate on specifics — but that the day unfolded in a different way and that he and his staff didn’t want to force anything. The end product is something he’s pleased with, and though they parted with their starting catcher, he believes the moves made position the Red Sox to make a legitimate run at a postseason berth over the next nine weeks.
“We were trying to get greedy and do everything we could, do the right things for the organization in the big picture and get better now,” Bloom said. “We’ll see how this plays out. But I think you could very well say, stepping back and looking at it, and I say this with absolutely no disrespect to Christian, who is an incredible catcher, but also looking at who we brought in, that even though the group looks different, I do think we have at least as good a chance to get in the postseason as we did and I hope a better one. That was our intent.”
There is little doubt that the Red Sox got better at first base — a position that’s arguably been their worst this season.
The Red Sox received a pair of lower-level minor league prospects — infielder Max Ferguson and outfielder Corey Rosier — as well as cash considerations in the deal. According to multiple reports, the Padres are sending the Red Sox $44 million as part of the deal to pay for Hosmer’s remaining contract. He’s owed about $7 million for the rest of this season and then $39 million over the next three seasons. He can opt out after this season.
The 32-year-old Hosmer was initially part of Tuesday’s blockbuster trade that sent superstar Juan Soto to San Diego, but he reportedly invoked his no-trade clause to block a move to the Washington Nationals. Bloom said the deal came together quickly after that, as the Red Sox found a match for a position they’ve long needed an improvement at.
Hosmer, who’s produced a .727 OPS this season, is a four-time Gold Glove winner who will bring dependability at first base, where the Red Sox have played Bobby Dalbec and Franchy Cordero (who was optioned to Triple-A). Red Sox first basemen produced a .662 OPS — ranked 26th in baseball — entering the deadline, not to mention the shaky defense over the last month.
“We have struggled to find stability at the first base position this year and we think Eric will provide that,” Bloom said. “I think he’s going to be helpful between the lines and in the clubhouse and we’re excited to get him here. I think he’s going to really enjoy our environment. I think he’s going to love Fenway Park and hopefully he can help us make a push.”
In Houston, where the Red Sox continued a series against the Astros, there seemed to be a different feeling after the deadline passed. Twenty-four hours after the Vazquez trade created uneasiness and uncertainty, manager Alex Cora looked more upbeat knowing who his group — which didn’t lose anymore core players — is moving forward.
“We’re good, and we have a good baseball team,” Cora told reporters. “It’s a business. We understand that. I think at the end of the day, we accomplished a few things we wanted to do and now we just turn the page and be ready to win the series tonight. …
“For how down we were yesterday, there’s a lot of people excited in the clubhouse keeping some of these guys to make a push. … I think we’re going to be OK.”
While franchise shortstop Xander Bogaerts expressed some disappointment in losing Vazquez, Martinez — the subject of rampant trade rumors who even seem resigned to the reality he would be dealt — struck a different tone.
“I’m excited. I think it’s a relief off of everybody,” Martinez told reporters. “We’ll see what happens. We get a couple of more pieces. Everybody got a little bit stronger so we have to step up a little bit. …
“It feels great. We have kind of the same team I would say in a different way. We got weaker in other areas, but stronger in other ones. See what happens. Maybe it’s just a different look. … You never know. It could be what we need.”
