ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan thinks the Boston Red Sox have the makings of a very good team in the second half” of the season. They just need to add some pitching help.
On Thursday, Passan released his top trade fits for each MLB team that currently has a winning record. For Boston, Passan proposed the acquisition of St. Louis Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley.
Passan noted that the Red Sox have “the best reliever in the AL this season” with Aroldis Chapman, but need more help in their bullpen.
“Getting Helsley from St. Louis would give Boston arguably the top setup-closer combination in baseball and go a long way toward supporting a rotation that has been among the game’s best over the past month,” Passan wrote.
The 30-year-old Helsley is a two-time All-Star who has spent his entire professional career in the Cardinals organization.
Helsley has been an effective closer in St. Louis for the last four seasons, recording a league-high 49 saves last season.
So why is he floated in trade rumors? Hesley is set to hit free agency this offseason. So if another team is willing to pay a high price for a half-season rental, the Cardinals could benefit from parting ways early.
The Cardinals (49-44) and Red Sox (49-45) are in similar spots in the standings, buried in a stacked division while very much in the wild card hunt. At this point, both teams have been teetering between being strong buyers or potential sellers at the trade deadline.
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