Red Sox Left in Limbo as Orioles Reportedly Uncertain on Trade Deadline Stance

One thing is sure for the Boston Red Sox—they need reinforcements. With Alex Bregman on the outs and after giving away one of their best hitters on a platter to the Washington Giants, Rafael Devers, the team does look lost. As such, they need reinforcements, and the front office is under pressure to find help before the July 31 trade deadline.

One name that has popped up is Ryan O’Hearn of the Baltimore Orioles. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal believes that the Boston Red Sox should make a push for the veteran first baseman. This is because Boston ranks 19th in OPS and now lacks a true everyday presence. So O’Hearn, who is hitting over .300 with real pop and strong metrics, could be a game changer.

But here is the twist—Baltimore doesn’t seem to know if they are buying or selling!

Bob Nightengale of USA Today put it, “The Baltimore Orioles have scouts and executives scratching their heads wondering what they’ll do at the trade deadline… They were nearly no-hit three times in five days, and then after losing 6-0, they came back and scored 22 runs against the Rays.” The Orioles are seven games out of a wild-card berth, and still they seem not to be ready to wave the white flag, which is what Nightengale mentioned. If the Orioles do shift into the sell mode, though, they have an asset that is kind of garnering some buzz, and it’s Charlie Morton.

The 41-year-old has turned back the clock with a 2.90 ERA in his last six starts. Rosenthal called him a “legitimate trade candidate.” Though his $15 million salary, with about $5 million still owed at the deadline, can make the suitors blink and think twice. As far as O’Hearn is concerned, he doesn’t hit lefties and rarely even faces them. But he has been steady against the right-handers. With Casas out and platoon bats aplenty in the Boston Red Sox lineup, he would fit right in. So while the Boston Red Sox may be scanning the market for the answers, their path forward could depend on which version of the Orioles shows up.

Right now, it’s just a guessing game.

Boston Red Sox blow out Jays, but first base is still a mystery

The Boston Red Sox had a great time on Saturday as their offense came alive big time and in a big way. After a tough skid, Boston torched the Blue Jays with a 15-1 score, and that felt like the lineup was exhaling all its recent frustrations in one game. It was the kind of win that fans have been waiting for. Still, let’s not forget that the Boston Red Sox are 41-43, sitting in fourth place in the loaded AL East behind the New York Yankees, Rays, and Jays. There is, therefore, a lot of ground to cover. Plus, of course, the deadline is near, and the front office is feeling the heat.

Additionally, first base is the topic of discussion. Now Abraham Toro and Romy González have done what they can. Their prospect, Kristian Campbell, has started playing first in the minors, too. But the chatter is that the Sox need a proper solution if they need to be in contention, and that someone may be Josh Naylor. In a recent feature by Sports Illustrated, Nick Selbe and Will Laws listed the Red Sox among the best fits for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ first baseman. And honestly, Naylor’s having quite a year.

He is batting .307 with 10 homers and 53 RBIs across 76 games. He is thriving and is also on a $10.9 million salary and will only become a free agent after this season. So this makes him a low-risk, high-reward deadline rental. He doesn’t have a massive price tag and just feels like a reliable left-handed bat. So, for a team that’s still trying to figure out its identity without star players and looking for consistent pieces, the question is, what’s the worst that could happen?