Red Sox GM Brian O’Halloran explains decision to remain passive at trade deadline
'I think we did a number of small things that help us.'
The dust around the Major League Baseball trade deadline settled, and though many believed the Boston Red Sox would be buyers on August 1, there was very little movement in or out of the clubhouse.
The Red Sox traded for infielder Luis Urias, formerly of the Milwaukee Brewers, on Tuesday. They also traded away Kiké Hernandez for a pair of minor league relievers, Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman, a week prior.
Boston’s general manager Brian O’Halloran appeared on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show Thursday and explained the Red Sox’s trade deadline mentality. Boston remained relatively quiet at the deadline, despite Rafael Devers’ and other players’ hope that they would acquire another starting pitcher.
“I think we did a number of small things that help us, but we weren’t able to line up on anything that was kind of a bigger needle-mover,” O’Halloran said. “We talked about a lot of things, but just none of them ended up making sense … There weren’t a lot of impact players that were moved at the deadline.”
Two big name pitchers that did move at the deadline were Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. Boston was reportedly interested in Verlander before the Mets and Astros struck a deal that would reunite the ace pitcher with his former team.
While the Red Sox weren’t able to make a move for a pitcher, bullpen help appears to be on the horizon anyway. Chris Sale got a rehab start for the Worcester Red Sox on Tuesday and could be on his way back to Boston soon.
Shortstop Trevor Story is also on his way back into the Red Sox lineup, continuing a rehab stint of his own down in Worcester. His return will help bolster a Boston defense that ranks last in the MLB in errors per game according to teamrankings.com.
O’Halloran and the Red Sox are hoping to make a playoff push and leave the chaos — or lack thereof — of the trade deadline behind them.
“We talked to the players; we talked to them before the deadline, we talked to them after the deadline, and explained as best we can what we’re thinking,” O’Halloran said. “Now that we’ve turned the page past this deadline I think a lot of guys breathed a sigh of relief that we didn’t end up trading some players off the team … this group is focused on the future and trying to secure a playoff berth.”
The Red Sox are currently 2.5 games back in playoff contention and will face the Blue Jays on Friday, August 5 at 7:10 at Fenway Park.
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