The Boston Red Sox have stranded 26 baserunners in the last two games. Yet Craig Breslow still believes in the team. The Boston Red Sox have a terrible 32-45 record right now. But that record hides a much deeper crisis: their offense ranks 29th in home runs, 21st in hits, and dead last in total runs. Even with this awful stretch, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow refuses to give up. The trade deadline is coming in less than five weeks. Many fans have already quit on the season, but Breslow still has hope.

“I still think that we’re capable of playing better and stacking some wins together, and hope that we can do that in the [coming days and weeks],” said Craig Breslow when asked about his plans with the Trade Deadline inching closer.

Breslow, it seems, fancies a hard fight. In April, he made the shocking choice to fire manager Alex Cora. He did this because the team was losing and needed a change. But since that firing, the team has only gotten worse. Now, it is hard to believe his hopeful words.

The biggest problem for Boston has been its ability to be consistent. Every time the team looks like they are going to get some wins, they fall short. At one point, things got so bad that Boston had a 9-20 record at home; the worst since the 1932 season. That inconsistency has been the story of the season for the Red Sox. And most of the blame falls completely on the offense.

In a recent game against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Red Sox left 13 runners on base. They got zero hits in 12 tries with runners in scoring position. The very next night, they left another 13 runners on base.

That is what makes this season so frustrating. Because the Red Sox have had some bright spots in the season as well. 

The pitching staff has given the front office something to hope for in the team. They are in the top 10 in both team ERA and quality starts, showing that the team has been doing well on the mound.

Players like Willson Contreras in the offense have done the bulk of the lifting as he leads the team in average, homers, and RBIs. But those positives have no meaning because the rest of the lineup can’t deliver consistently. The result is a team that remains stuck well below expectations despite showing occasional flashes of promise. 

But there is still time for the Red Sox to change the story, but it must start now.  

Breslow may believe this group can still play better, and there is evidence that the roster has more talent than its record suggests. The offense needs to strap up their cleats and get on the field to win games, not just play them. And this isn’t just one game; the Red Sox must do this on a consistent basis. 

If that happens, Breslow’s optimism will look justified. If not, things will only go from bad to worse. And all this is going to be defined by how the Red Sox handle the trade deadline.

What should the Red Sox do with the trade deadline approaching?

The Red Sox face a very hard choice before the trade deadline. They are six games behind the final American League Wild Card playoff spot. Being six games back might not sound too bad, but the math is brutal. Because Boston is at the bottom of the standings, they have to jump over seven different teams just to make the playoffs. Their real chance of making the postseason is only 12.5%.

Since the chances of making the postseason are low, buying big names will not be a good idea. However, trading away most of the team will mean that they have completely given up on the season. So, the front office needs to find a between. The biggest problem is that Boston has gaps across the roster.  

The lineup has struggled to produce consistently, particularly against right-handed pitching, and the infield lacks stability behind several young players. While the pitching staff has kept the club competitive in some games, the rotation remains thin due to injuries.  

That is why a player like Jeremy Peña stands out as a logical target. He provides a right-handed bat, strong defense at shortstop, and also brings in the experience of postseason. And this is big for Boston as they will not have to spend too much on a player like Peña. 

And finding upgrades becomes easier because of Boston’s outfield depth.  

Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, Masataka Yoshida, and Roman Anthony give Boston valuable outfield depth. Duran remains a valuable trade chip because of his production and speed. Yoshida could attract teams looking for consistent contact and additional left-handed offense. Meanwhile, Abreu, Rafaela, and Anthony are the future of the team and are going to be off limits. 

Boston could also use its bullpen to build for the future. Relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman is having a great season. Right now, many playoff teams are desperate for late-inning bullpen help. Boston could trade Chapman to another team in exchange for young starting pitchers who are under contract for several years.

This deadline is huge for Breslow. The Red Sox do not need to buy aggressively, but a complete fire sale also makes no sense. The smartest path is finding a balance. They need to improve the team for the future without totally giving up on today.