News and notes from around Red Sox Nation.
Well would you look at that: the Red Sox are a .500 team again. The post-Mookie Sox are Sisyphus, except instead of being unable to haul a boulder up a hill, they are unable to not be the most frustrating goddamn baseball team of all-time. So now we find ourselves about a month out from yet another trade deadline in which the front office will need to decide whether to sell, buy, or try to thread the needle between the two. As we prepare to endlessly debate this question for the foreseeable future, here’s something to keep in mind: In Alex Bregman and Jarren Duran, the Sox currently have the top two trade candidates in all of baseball. (Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan, ESPN)
Of course, Bregman isn’t even on the field right now, but he’s hoping to return by mid-July. If he isn’t traded, his return will force the Sox to do some infield shuffling. And if that means Marcelo Mayer to second base, he’s ready for the challenge. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
And Bregman might not be the only player to return from injury in the coming weeks. Masataka Yoshida — remember that guy?!? — may begin a rehab assignment as early as next Tuesday. (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
But Yoshida and Bregman aren’t going to do anything to help the pitching staff. And after yet another sub-par performance, Walker Buehler recognizes that his spot in the rotation is in jeopardy. The team insists he’s fully healthy, they just can’t figure out why he seemingly has no command. (Rob Bradford, WEEI)
Maybe Jordan Hicks can help the pitching staff? His performance with the Giants was up-and-down and he’s currently recovering from an injury, but he still throws over 100 MPH, which is a good thing to do if you’re a pitcher. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)