The Wednesday, November 25, 2020

* The Boston Globe

The Red Sox have some serious to fill with additional starting

Peter Abraham

Putting together a 2021 rotation for the Red Sox is essentially a math problem.

The Sox averaged roughly 900 innings from their starting pitchers from 2016-19. So that’s a good number to build back from in examining their needs for next season.

Even if the Sox use an occasional opener, one way or another they’ll need 900 innings from starting- types.

How to get to that number is where it gets complicated.

Let’s start where we left off. The Sox had 11 pitchers make two or more starts last season. Six are no longer on the 40-man roster.

Martin Perez is a free agent and was designated for assignment.

Zack Godley, Kyle Hart, Mike Kickham, and Andrew Triggs all cleared waivers and were sent outright to Triple A Pawtucket.

The Sox still have Colten Brewer, Nate Eovaldi, , Chris Mazza, and .

Brewer had a 6.91 earned average in four starts last season, putting 29 men on base in 14⅓ innings. Back to the he goes.

Eovaldi is the only established major league starter in that group. But he has not pitched more than 124⅔ innings in a season since 2015.

Eovaldi has been on the at least once for five consecutive seasons, and he turns 31 in February. Pencil him in for 115 innings given that history. Anything more is a bonus.

Houck made three starts and gave up one earned run over 17 innings while striking out 21. He will get every opportunity to earn a spot in the rotation.

But it’s worth noting that Houck was 15-19 with a 4.07 ERA in 50 minor league starts and still needs a reliable third pitch.

At 24, Houck is still developing, and it would be a mistake to think three starts in the final two weeks of the season for a last-place team means he’s ready.

But let’s be optimistic and give him 15 starts and 85 innings.

Mazza made five starts, three that were actually pretty good. It’s unlikely that a 31-year-old career minor leaguer will suddenly make the rotation, so pencil him in for 25 innings as a spot starter.

Pivetta pitched well in two starts after coming over from Philadelphia. He is otherwise 18-28 with a 5.42 ERA in 71 major league starts.

Maybe a fresh start will unlock Pivetta’s talents. But he profiles more as a multi- reliever and spot starter. Let’s give him seven starts and 35 innings.

We’re up to 260 innings. Eduardo Rodriguez is into his offseason throwing program and said he believes he will come back strong from missing last season because of a myocarditis, a heart condition triggered by COVID-19.

Rodriguez gave the Sox 34 starts and 203⅓ innings in 2019. It’s a given the Sox will be cautious with how he’s used, so let’s deduct 30 percent and count on Rodriguez for 142 innings.

Keep in mind, prior to 2019 his career best was 137⅓, so 142 could be a reach. But Rodriguez showed a commitment to durability in 2019 and having back will be good for him.

Chris Sale is expected to return from Tommy John surgery at “midsummer” according to Chaim Bloom. If we read that as the All-Star break, let’s give Sale 13 starts and 70 innings.

The only two starter prospects close to the majors are Bryan Mata and . They have yet to reach Triple A and were limited to alternate-site games last season. But they could arrive by August or September and help the cause.

Put them down for 35 innings and toss in another 40 from various non-roster hopefuls who will be at and get opportunities over the course of the season.

That’s 547 innings — or 353 shy of what the Sox need.

The good news is that the free agent market is loaded with starting pitchers, and piecing together those innings shouldn’t be insurmountable.

Trevor Bauer would come at a high cost and the loss of a draft pick. But , , Anthony DeSclafani, J.A. Happ, , , Jake Odorizzi, , , Jose Quintana, Michael Wacha, Taijuan Walker, and Alex Wood are in the group where deals of 1-3 years should be workable.

The trade market is not expected to be as robust, as most teams will cling to their starters. But the Rays, forever in search of maximizing the value of their players, are taking offers on . The Reds are doing the same with .

The easy solution for the Sox would be to obtain two or three pitchers who can be projected for 170-180 innings.

It’s still too early to project who those pitchers will be. Agents describe the Sox as having checked in on most every starter.

The Sox fell into a pattern of misery quickly last season, the entire roster beaten down by an unreliable rotation. It felt like they started every game down, 2-0. Only the Tigers got fewer innings from starters.

It’s Bloom’s job to make the math work for next season and bring pitchers to spring training capable of those 900 innings.

* The

As coronavirus cases surge, Red Sox offer discounted season tickets for 81 home games in 2021

Jason Mastrodonato

After a season in which the Red Sox had not a single paid fan in attendance, the local nine are planning on playing 81 home games with paid attendance at Fenway Park in 2021.

The Sox began their season ticket campaign this week, as sales representatives started calling season-ticket holders and offering discounts on renewal packages for next season.

With Alex Cora back in the dugout and the Sox poised to make some additions to a roster that finished with the franchise’s worst winning percentage since 1965, the Red Sox are confident enough that the pandemic will be contained to begin selling 81-game packages.

“We’re going to roll out invoices next week,” executive vice president of ticketing Ron Bumgarner told the Herald on Tuesday. “We sent all our season ticket holders a postcard telling them about them our new 2021 benefits package. And we just enhanced the benefits.

“So far the calls have gone great. People are appreciating it.”

That the Sox are expecting 81 home games is bold in itself, given the current spike in COVID-19 cases across the country. As of Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed the seven- day average of more than 171,000 cases, by far the most since the pandemic began.

“This all under the assumption that there would be – we’re planning for 81 home games,” Bumgarner said. “But also preparing for a situation where there could be fewer games. But more likely this is, I guess my opinion is, we’d be faced with limited capacities to start the season. Obviously, that’s depending on MLB and city and state health guidelines and where we are with the pandemic at that time.”

Because of the uncertainty, the Red Sox are giving their season-ticket holders an option to pay only 25% of their season dues up front starting on Dec. 15, with another 25% due on the 15th of each consecutive month.

The Sox also believe they were honest with their fans about refunds during the 2020 season, when they offered a one-click option to request a refund for lost tickets or use that credit, plus a 10% bonus credit, toward renewals for 2021.

“We had about 40% of the season-ticket holders who took the credit and 60% took the refund,” Bumgarner said.

The Sox also added a 15% discount for anyone renewing season tickets this year, up from a 10% discount in years past.

Because of the uncertainty, the club will also allow any season-ticket holders to exchange tickets to any game they can’t attend in person for tickets to a different game.

It could get complicated for the team to fulfill all the requests for the 18,000 annual season-ticket holders at Fenway Park, especially if Massachusetts is limiting the size of social gatherings when the season starts at home against the Orioles on April 1.

“That’s the incredibly complex challenge,” Bumgarner said.

If the Sox can’t accommodate all their season-ticket holders, “we’ll provide you with as many games as we can in a comparable seat location,” he said. “And as many games as we do that, you can choose a refund or take a credit and use it for a future game.”

Bumgarner said initial feedback from season-ticket holders has been mixed.

“People are anxious and want to get back there out there,” he said. “We’re also getting people who say, ‘I’m not sure, I’m going to wait.’ And that’s fine as well.”

Single-game tickets usually go on sale in December, but that’s likely to be delayed this year as the Sox wait to see what the outlook is early next year.

“We put a hold on that until we have more clarity on the situation,” Bumgarner said.

New Red Sox bench coach addresses Alex Cora’s cheating scandal

Steve Hewitt

Before he took his new job as the Red Sox’ bench coach, it was important for Will Venable to address the elephant in the room.

Alex Cora, who he’d be sharing a dugout with and working closely together with, was returning as the Red Sox’ manager after serving a one-year suspension for his involvement in a cheating scandal that rocked baseball. It’s a storyline and reputation that will follow Cora for the rest of his career, and Venable knew he needed to have a discussion with him about the situation if he was going to be associated with him and work with him.

So, when Cora and Venable talked recently to see if they’d be a good match as a partnership, it was something that was central to their conversation.

“I think it’s very important for him to bring those into conversations and make sure that there’s an understanding of where he’s at with everything,” Venable said by phone on Tuesday. “That was definitely something that we talked about, something that I, on my own, coming into the situation, wanted to speak to people close to the situation, people that I care about, people that were right in the middle of it all and everyone said the same thing, that Alex has been unbelievable in his messages since this thing has happened. His ownership of what happened and the accountability to the mistake.

“For me, the way that you respond to mistakes like that is really important, and throughout the process, it was talked about, and at the end of it, I felt like Alex was in a really good spot and had taken that responsibility and had served his time and was in a position to move on, and also be part of the effort largely around the game to make sure that everything is done right moving forward. I felt great about it.”

Venable ultimately felt great enough about it to feel comfortable in taking the job. Not only has Cora taken ownership of the mistake he made, but he knows it can’t happen again. On the day he was reintroduced as Red Sox manager, he said as much, proclaiming, “If I fail at this, I’m out of the game.”

Venable seemed pretty confident it was in the past, and the two are ready to get to work together by doing it the right way.

“Alex, like I said, he brought it into the conversation right away and has owned it and has really, I know it’s going to be a narrative, but he’s moving forward and I feel like it’s something that has happened and I’m moving forward,” Venable said. “It’s something that I can put on the back burner and really just continue to move forward in what we can do to help the Boston Red Sox be better.

“Like I said, I think Alex has done a great job in taking ownership of that stuff. Yeah, it’s the elephant in the room, but once you address it, you can move forward and I’m confident that those things are part of what’s going to make us make the best decisions possible moving forward.”

Will Venable details ‘roller coaster’ process to becoming Red Sox bench coach

Steve Hewitt

Will Venable was a little bit caught off guard when he got the phone call from Chaim Bloom.

Venable had interviewed for the Red Sox’ managerial opening after the season ended, among several candidates who Bloom talked to for the job. But when the Red Sox ultimately decided to reunite with Alex Cora, Venable turned his focus back to his job with the , where he was the team’s third base coach in 2020 and first base coach the two seasons before.

Then, Bloom called him. The Red Sox’ chief baseball officer wanted to gauge his interest in being the team’s new bench coach.

“It was a surprise, for sure,” Venable said by phone on Tuesday. “Kind of going through this (managerial) interview process, it was kind of a little bit of a roller coaster, just because you really do have to imagine yourself there and commit to the idea of being part of that organization. … So then when you get to that place (mentally) and then it doesn’t work out, you go back to getting focused on the things you need to do in your current role, and so that’s where I was at.”

Venable felt like he connected with Bloom and his baseball operations staff during the interview process, and aligned with their philosophies. Though he came up short, Bloom still thought highly of the 38-year- old Venable, who Cora described as a “bright, young mind.”

“I was disappointed that it didn’t work out with Boston (as the manager), but obviously I understand my own growth and development and where I need to get to be ready for a role like that,” Venable said. “But I was getting back to thinking about the Chicago Cubs and the things we were going to try to do to get better in the offseason and into next year. So, when I got that call from Chaim, I was surprised but obviously very excited.”

Venable said he thought his initial managerial interview laid a good foundation for both sides to get a good feel for each other, and Bloom seemingly agreed. Bloom wanted to get Venable on the phone with Cora, who he had only met before in passing, to see if they would be a good fit. A few days later, they did.

“We had a great conversation,” Venable said. “I already knew that I was aligned well with Chaim and the organization and everything they were trying to accomplish, and so it was great to get on the phone with Alex, at least on my end, being really confident that I aligned with him and everything he was trying to do. Then at some point, they offered me the job and obviously, here we are. …

“The opportunity to be part of the Red Sox organization is something that every person in baseball would jump at the opportunity to have. It’s something I’m extremely excited about. I think new role, new opportunity, new challenges, I’m just really excited to learn the organization and see how I can best help the staff, Alex and of course, the players.”

In his initial conversations with Cora, who is returning after serving a one-year suspension for his role in the Astros’ cheating scandal, Venable said it was important to address that situation with not only Cora, but people close to the situation and around the league. He emerged from those discussions having “felt great about it,” moving forward with confidence that they’ll do the right things as a club.

Venable also felt great about how he connected with Cora from a baseball standpoint.

“Some of the things that he wants to achieve defensively and baserunning-wise, I think a lot of the same values that he has and philosophies really align with mine and some of the attention to detail and some of the things he mentioned that he wants the club to improve,” Venable said. “Those are things I’m passionate about. I think from a standpoint of developing and getting ready for a game and all the preparation, what he thinks are important are the same things I think are important.

“And then I think he’s someone that really has found a great balance in making decisions where he trusts his eyes and also is able to utilize analytics and information and whatever other inputs he might be putting into decisions. He’s also someone that I think I can really grow and learn from.”

Venable certainly hopes to be a big-league manager one day, and teaming up with Cora can only help that. He didn’t sugarcoat what his new role means to those future aspirations, and he’s ready to the ground running.

“I think the possibility of managing, obviously being invited to interview with clubs has put that in my mind as something that might be a possibility down the road,” Venable said. “But right now, it’s really about focusing on what is already a significant role that I’m about to undertake. For me, it’s really about focusing on what I need to do in my current role to help the club as best I can. I think that stuff down the road takes care of itself, but for me, as someone who wants to help a team and wants to help players, this is a huge step for me. …

“I love the idea of having more responsibility and having an ability to have a bigger footprint on an organization, so this alone in itself is a huge opportunity for me that I’m excited about. Managing down the road or not, this is a big deal for me in my growth process.”

* MassLive.com

Boston Red Sox prospect Connor Seabold (from trade) has swing-and-miss that plays like reverse slider

Christopher Smith

Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Connor Seabold uses wrist pronation when he throws his changeup. He turns his wrist out when he throws the pitch. It something he began doing in 2019 to create better action and spin.

“I try to pronate it a lot,” Seabold said during a phone interview with MassLive.com on Monday. “If you watch Devin Williams, for example, that’s kind of how I try and throw it. I try to get side spin on it. And when it’s on, it’s like a reverse slider. And so that’s the type of action and spin I’m trying to get with that pitch at any given time.”

The Red Sox acquired Seabold with Nick Pivetta from the for Brandon Workman and on Aug. 21.

Boston added Seabold and six other prospects — , Bryan Mata, Hudson Potts, , and Jeisson Rosario — to its 40-man roster Friday to protect them from December’s Rule 5 Draft. The 24-year-old right-hander likely will begin the 2021 regular season in Triple-A Worcester’s starting rotation. He provides important big league starting rotation depth.

“I would say the changeup is probably my best out-pitch,” Seabold said. “I’ve kind of turned it into something that really when it’s on, it’s on. It gets tough for guys to either make contact or make good contact on.”

Seabold also throws a , slider and . He introduced the curveball at the alternate training site in Pawtucket this past summer after Boston acquired him.

Triple-A pitching coach Paul Abbott and pitching coordinator of performance Shawn Haviland asked Seabold how he felt about a curveball.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, sure. I’ll give it a try,’” Seabold recalled. “So I kind of mixed it in the last couple of outings. And it got better. It wasn’t anything crazy, but I think with a little bit of work and a little bit of polish, it could be a good fourth pitch for me.”

He added about the curveball, “Trying to get something slower to add into the mix that kind of gets guys off of that slider and off the fastball.”

His fastball sits around around 91-93 mph. He has topped out at 95 mph.

“I pride myself on not walking guys,” Seabold said. “I pride myself on locating. And it starts with the fastball. I know it’s not overpowering but it gets on guys.”

He averaged only 1.4 walks per nine innings in 56 outings (42 starts) at Cal State Fullerton. He has averaged just 2.1 walks per nine innings in 40 games (34 starts) in the minor leagues since the Phillies drafted him in the third round in 2017.

He posted a 2.25 ERA and 2.3 walks per nine innings in seven starts at Double A in 2019. He then pitched in the for Scottsdale, recording a 1.06 ERA (two earned runs, 17 inning) with 22 and four walks (1.6 BB/9).

Baseball America’s 2020 Prospect Handbook noted, “His plus command helps it (his fastball) play up as he does a good job of avoiding hitter’s happy zones. Seabold also has improved his above-average changeup — it has drop at the plate to generate poor swings and some whiffs.”

Seabold said his slider “has had good times and bad times.”

“But more recently good times,” Seabold said. “Just trying to kind of find the perfect mix with it. But it’s another pitch that when it’s on, it’s really good.”

He plans to work more on the curveball and sharpen all his pitches this offseason.

“That’s going to be a big part of it,” he said. “But also getting bigger, stronger, making sure my body’s moving as good as it can be. Just preparing for the long haul. It’s a long season. Your body is going to take a beating and so you’ve gotta prepare it. But yeah, the curveball is definitely going to be an emphasis on what I’m working on. And then just sharpening the rest of the tools and preparing for spring training.”

Seabold has other talents beyond baseball. He also is a terrific artist. He credits his dad Kirk Seabold, a marketing manager who also is a part-time graphic designer.

“He works on various logos, websites, etc.,” Seabold said. “So I kind of just so happened to stumble upon some good genes that came from him. It’s just something I’ll do every once in a while when I feel inclined. It’s not really an everyday thing for me. But I enjoy doing it still.”

Seabold has a Instagram page — @sketchy_seabs — where he shares his art.

“Some of it’s by pencil. Some of it is on photoshop. And I have a drawing tablet so I just use the paint tools on there,” he explained. “But I like to mix it up. I like to do some canvas stuff every once in a while. And just sketchbook stuff at other times. It keeps me busy.”

Seabold also has important art on his arm. He has a tattoo with angel wings and the message, “In Loving Memory, Mom.”

His mother Erin Brown died of cancer Aug. 9, 2015.

“I try to honor her as much as I can,” Seabold said. “She was with me in my baseball career for my entire life obviously. So she was always pushing me to be better. She was always there as somebody I could talk to. So is my dad. But also my mom, which was cool to have. She knew the sport really well. She would whip me into shape if I let my guard down on the mound or something. She was a good role model.”

The tribute to his mother was his first tattoo. He now has several other tattoos.

“If she was around she’d probably be pissed off,” he joked. “She always told me not to get tattoos.”

Seabold enjoys several hobbies, including music, hiking (he lives near a nature reserve) and visiting breweries. He is a fan of craft beer. He often shares music on his Instagram stories.

“I like to keep it loose,” he said. “I’m probably not as funny as I think I am. I like to keep a good personality about things, good attitude. Try not to take myself too seriously. But once I get on the mound, I’m competing. I want to beat up the guy in the box. It’s kind of a different persona from off the field and on the field.”

Seabold was with his father when vice president of player development Ben Crockett called him Friday to tell him he was added to the 40-man roster. He then called his girlfriend, agent and grandparents.

“Once the news broke and it was public, I got a lot of love from family and friends. So it was cool. It was a cool day. It’s an honor. Definitely an honor.”

He knows he’s just one call away from his big league debut. But he also felt that way at the alternate site this summer.

“Because it was all hands on deck there,” he said. “So in a way, it feels like the carryover of that where now in a (full) season, it’s still that close. It can still happen at any point. So you’ve just gotta keep your guard up, but not try to do too much. ... Staying ready and preparing for the best, preparing for the worst and just go with the flow during the season.”

Grullon can ‘mash’

Catcher Deivy Grullon — who the Red Sox claimed off waivers from the Phillies on Sept. 3 — is playing for Aguilas Cibaenas of the Dominican Winter League. He is 4-for-9 (.444) with a homer, two RBIs and two runs in five games so far.

He appeared in one game for Boston in 2020, going 1-for-3.

It was somewhat of a surprise the Phillies placed him on waivers. MLB Pipeline had him ranked the Phillies’ No. 24 prospect. had ranked him Philadelphia’s No. 16 prospect.

“Back in ’18, when I first got to Double A, he was the catcher there,” Seabold said. “He can hit. For a catcher, he can mash. He’s got a big bat and. ... He does a good job behind the plate. He’s solid top to bottom. I’m glad we picked him up.”

The 5-11, 240-pounder enjoyed a productive 2019 season at Triple-A Leigh Valley, batting .283 with a .354 on-base percentage, .496 slugging percentage, .851 OPS, 21 home runs, 24 doubles, 77 RBIs and 55 runs in 108 games (457 plate appearances).

Denyi Reyes K’s 8 in 4 scoreless innings

Red Sox prospect Denyi Reyes, a 24-year-old righty, is pitching for Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Winter League. He tossed 4 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit while striking out 8 in a win over Toros del Este on Tuesday.

He has pitched 8 scoreless innings in two starts so far.

Ramirez showed plus changeup at fall instructs

SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall did a great job with his scouting reports from fall instructional camp. Follow him on @IanCundall for insightful information.

Cundall identified Eduard Bazardo as a potential addition to the 40-man roster at the Rule 5 Draft deadline, citing his increased velocity and his curveball’s impressive spin rate.

Bazardo ended up being one of seven prospects added to the 40-man roster.

Cundall also had strong praise for 19-year-old righty Aldo Ramirez. He tweeted, “Ramirez showed advanced feel and should stick as a starter. His fastball sat 92-95 and he mixed in a plus CH and average CB.

“Other pitchers may have better raw stuff, but Ramirez has a three pitch mix, strong command profile & knows how to pitch. He is deceptive & does a good job limiting hard contact, especially w/his CH. He’s got a back end starter projection right now, but there’s a chance for more.”

Cundall continues to post scouting reports from fall instructs on SoxProspects.com.

@IanCundall – Nov 17, 2020: “I’ve talked to multiple evaluators who said the top pitcher at Red Sox fall instructs this year was 19-year-old right-handed pitcher Aldo Ramirez. Ramirez showed advanced feel and should stick as a starter. His fastball sat 92-95 and he mixed in a plus CH and average CB.”

Reply to @IanCundall – Nov 17, 2020: “Other pitchers may have better raw stuff, but Ramirez has a three pitch mix, strong command profile & knows how to pitch. He is deceptive & does a good job limiting hard contact, especially w/his CH. He’s got a back end starter projection right now, but there’s a chance for more.”

Boston Red Sox 2021 single game ticket sales pushed back in midst of COVID-19; team is contacting season-ticket holders about renewals

Christopher Smith

The Boston Red Sox typically begin selling tickets to select home games in December. But 2021 ticket sales will be put on hold in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Single-game ticket sales will be pushed back to January or February as it remains unclear if the Red Sox and other Major League Baseball teams will be able to host fans, even in a limited capacity, during 2021.

Full capacity attendance likely hinges on when a vaccine is available to the general public. Pfizer and BioNTech announced Nov. 18 that their coronavirus vaccine showed it is 95% effective at preventing the spread of the viral respiratory infection.

The Red Sox also have not yet decided whether single-game ticket prices will increase. The organization increased ticket prices by an average of 1.7% in 2020. Ticket prices increased an average of 2.5% both in 2018 and 2019 and 2.9% in 2017. Boston did not increase prices in 2015.

“We don’t know yet,” Red Sox executive vice president of ticketing Ron Bumgarner said during a phone interview with MassLive.com on Tuesday. “There’s so much uncertainty ahead that we’re still kind of evaluating, trying to formalize a variety of options. There’s just so many variables. In simplest terms, we don’t know if we’re going to be at 2,000 fans or 10,000 fans or at full capacity.

“What we’ve decided to do this year is push everything back,” Bumgarner added. “We usually go on sale in December. We have our holiday sale (such as at Christmas at Fenway). This year, we’ve just put a hold on it. We’ve said, let’s wait. Let’s see what the future’s going to hold. And we’ll figure out what the landscape looks like and make those decisions in that January-February timeframe because we don’t know.”

The Red Sox are actively seeking season ticket holder renewals. They began calling season-ticket holders this week and will send them invoices next week. The team has added three new benefits for season-ticket holders in 2021.

“We increased our season-ticket holder discount, which is probably the most impactful,” Bumgarner said. “We took it from an average of 10% up to an average of 15% this year.”

The amount of the discount depends on seat location, but Bumgarner added, “Every season-ticket holder will have a lower per seat cost this coming year.”

A flexible-payment plan is the second benefit the Red Sox instituted.

“In years past, payments were due in December for season tickets,” Bumgarner said. “This year we changed that program to add a four-month payment plan. So a season-ticket holder can renew their season tickets, pay 25% in December, 25% in January, 25% in February, 25% in March. So just spreading out that payment, providing more flexibility and giving our fans the opportunity to renew, especially considering the situation where there is so much uncertainty that they can make their commitment at just 25% to start.”

The third benefit is an exchange program for season-ticket holders.

“In simplest terms, just if a season-ticket holder can’t make it to a game, they’ll be given the opportunity to exchange that ticket for another game,” Bumgarner said.

Bumgarner said the season-ticket discount is more in line with what other teams across Major League Baseball are doing. He said a lot of teams across all sports have payment plans.

“A lot of teams in baseball have the exchange program,” he said. “In years past, back in the old days, it was difficult for us to have an exchange program because we had such high demand and sellouts. During those times, you wouldn’t have a game to exchange to. And over the last five or six years, there is more ability to exchange tickets for other games. So we’re rolling out that program as well.”

The Red Sox had a plan in place to allow approximately 6,500 fans into games at Fenway Park during September, but government officials did not allow it. MLB also made a decision to prohibit teams from allowing fans during the regular season.

“We just don’t know and we’re watching other markets in football in particular where some markets have been allowed to have up to 20,000 fans and some have been as low as 2,000,” Bumgarner said. “We’re kind of taking a wait-and-see approach. We’re doing a bunch of different scenarios behind the scenes of what if it’s 25% capacity? What if it’s six-foot social distancing? What does that turn out to be? And what if it’s 50% or what if it’s full capacity? So we’re planning for the best-case scenario but also planning for any of these other scenarios. ... We’re certainly optimistic with the news of the vaccine and some of the distribution conversations that have been going on. But just like you, we don’t know. We’re in a wait-and- see mode.”

Alex Cora discusses return to Boston Red Sox, more on MassLive’s Fenway Rundown podcast

Chris Cotillo

On the latest episode of MassLive’s The Fenway Rundown podcast, Red Sox manager Alex Cora joined the show to discuss his return to Boston after a one-year suspension. Cora, who was reintroduced as the team’s skipper two weeks ago, addressed the cheating scandal that led to his suspension, his relationship with Mike Fiers and other members of the Astros and shed some light on why the Sox hired Will Venable as their new bench coach.

Cora also took questions on Dustin Pedroia’s future, his relationship with and the reaction to his return to the team. Click here to listen to the full episode. You can subscribe to the show on Spotify and iTunes.

Some highlights:

Cora on the split fan reaction to his return to Boston:

“I understand it. I understand the people that don’t like it. Like I said before, just be patient and give me a chance. That’s all I’m asking. You don’t have to forgive me. You just have to give me a chance. You know what I mean? Very understandable. I disappointed a lot of people. That’s something I’m going to keep listening to throughout my career. One thing I can do is control what I can control. Show up every day and put these guys in a good spot to win ballgames, make them better, help the organization to keep moving forward and being in a place where we feel we belong.”

On :

“Versatility is important for us. This is a guy, in college, he was a third baseman and a good one. He can handle first base. In college, he was actually a good pitcher, too. We’ve got to keep all the doors open (laughing). If Bobby can pitch, play third and play first, he’ll be a great fit for our roster.”

Dustin Pedroia is ‘in a good place,’ says Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora: ‘He’s still impacting the game’

Chris Cotillo

Alex Cora has spoken with his good friend Dustin Pedroia since being re-hired as manager of the Red Sox, but he’s not willing to reveal Pedroia’s plans for the future quite yet.

Pedroia, who has only played nine games over the last three seasons and sat out the entirety of 2020 due to a recurring knee injury, is not expected to play again. Though the Boston Globe reported late last month that the Red Sox were planning to discuss “a mutual understanding” to end Pedroia’s playing career at some point in November, no official announcement has been made regarding the second baseman’s future.

Cora, who served as a mentor to Pedroia while the two were teammates from 2006 to 2008, said that the 37-year-old is enjoying life with his wife, Kelli, and their three sons in Arizona.

“He’s doing an outstanding job coaching his kids in and baseball,” Cora said Tuesday on MassLive’s The Fenway Rundown podcast. “He’s enjoying the family, and that’s the most important thing. I’ll keep it there. The conversations between players and myself, I just keep to myself. But he’s in a good place, to be honest with you. He’s in a good place. Whatever happens, happens. One thing for sure, he cares about the organization and, obviously, he cares about baseball. He’s still impacting the game.”

Pedroia’s last appearance with the Sox was on April 17, 2019, when he was removed from a game at after experiencing knee pain. A month later, he announced he had decided to take an “indefinite break” from rehabbing to assess his future with his family and underwent surgery last August.

Pedroia is still taking up a spot on Boston’s 40-man roster, which is now full. The Red Sox are expected to make a significant number of moves this winter, rendering that spot potentially useful.

When Cora was first hired three years ago, he spoke about how much he was looking forward to managing Pedroia. Though Pedroia hasn’t had much of an impact on the field, Cora has enjoyed getting to know the future Red Sox Hall of Famer in a different way.

“It’s something that we talked about throughout the process and I was looking forward to. Obviously, it hasn’t happened yet,” Cora said. “I don’t know how many games he has played for us in the two years I was there.

“One thing for sure -- he hasn’t impacted the team like he usually does on the field, but in the clubhouse, outside with the players, outside Fenway, he has been amazing,” Cora added. “He actually helped us win a in 2018 just with his presence and helping us out, preparing for the Yankees, Astros and Dodgers. That’s what it’s all about, just trying to make us better somehow and some way. And he did.”

Red Sox rumors: Free agent Yasiel Puig on Boston’s ‘radar’; Astros, Orioles also in mix for the (report)

Christopher Smith

The Boston Red Sox are one of three teams with free agent Yasiel Puig ‘on their radar,” MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported Tuesday.

Feinsand wrote, “After announcing this week that he had signed with agent Rachel Luba of Luba Sports, Puig has already started to draw interest from multiple clubs. According to sources, the Astros, Orioles and Red Sox are among the teams that have Puig on their radar, though others could also be in the mix.”

Puig, who will turn 30 on Dec. 7, did not play in 2020. He agreed to sign with the Braves in July but he then tested positive for coronavirus and Atlanta decided not to sign him.

He batted .267 with a .327 on-base percentage, .458 slugging percentage, .785 OPS, 24 home runs, 30 doubles, two triples, 84 RBIs and 19 steals in 149 games for the Reds and Indians in 2019.

In seven major league seasons, he has posted a .277/.348/.475/.823 line with 132 home runs, 159 doubles and 21 triples.

Feinsand wrote, “Multiple club executives believe Puig will land a Major League contract this winter, though the belief is that it will be an incentive-laden deal.”

The Red Sox either will need to re-sign center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. or add another outfielder via free agency or the trade market this offseason.

Boston chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom doesn’t necessarily need to target center fielders exclusively if he decides to replace Bradley. Bloom could sign or trade for a corner outfielder, then move either right fielder or left fielder to center field.

“I think we have guys on this club who are capable of playing center field,” Bloom said during a Zoom call earlier this month. “But certainly would like to be in as strong of a defensive position as you can. We know we play in a ballpark where you basically have two center fields here in Fenway Park. So we want to be mindful of that.”

Spacious right field at Fenway Park is one of the most difficult outfield positions to play in any major league ballpark.

“We can’t be too rigid and miss good opportunities,” Bloom said. “But we’d certainly like to have as strong of a defensive outfield as possible. And a lot of that is contingent on having multiple guys who can play center field.”

Boston Red Sox rumors: trade with Cubs ‘highly unlikely’ this winter (report)

Chris Cotillo

A trade between the Cubs and Red Sox that would send Kris Bryant to Boston is “highly unlikely,” according to a report from Boston Sports Journal’s Sean McAdam. On Monday, the Chicago Tribune pegged the Red Sox as a potential landing spot for Bryant, who is one of this winter’s top trade candidates.

The sides had talks about Bryant over the summer before the Aug. 31 trade deadline, according to the Tribune, but McAdam reports that those discussions never gained much traction.

“That deal didn’t happen, of course, and one baseball source indicated that there were, in fact, no serious discussions between the teams regarding Bryant last summer,” McAdam wrote. “Further, the source indicated that it was highly unlikely that the teams would match up on a Bryant deal this winter.”

Bryant, who turns 29 in January, is a free agent after the 2021 season and is known to be available in trade talks as the Cubs -- under new president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer -- look to reshape their roster. The former third overall pick struggled at the plate in 2020 (.206 average, .644 OPS) in just 34 games last season but was an All-Star for the third time in 2019.

Bryant, the 2015 National League Rookie of the Year and 2016 NL MVP, is primarily a third baseman but has 172 games of outfield experience in his career and could fill a corner outfield spot for an interested club. With entrenched at third base, the Red Sox -- hypothetically -- would have had interest in Bryant as an outfielder alongside Andrew Benintendi and Alex Verdugo.

Bryant, along with Cleveland’s and Colorado’s , is one of the top players on the trade market this winter. The Nationals and Padres are among the clubs known to have previous interest in the slugger.

* RedSox.com

Inbox: How is Boston's rotation shaping up?

Ian Browne

It's time for another Red Sox Inbox, in which MLB.com will tackle free agency and how Boston's rotation will look at the end of it -- among other topics of interest.

What do you think Boston's starting five will look like next year? , and then pray for rain? -- @steveoconnell

I think it will look better than that. As far as Sale goes, don’t expect him to be part of the equation until at least mid-June as he completes his comeback from Tommy John surgery. At this point, the Red Sox anticipate that Eduardo Rodriguez will be back to lead the rotation. Rodriguez, of course, didn’t pitch last season due to COVID-19 and myocarditis. Having him anchor the rotation until Sale returns would be huge.

At this point, there are no health concerns with Eovaldi, who pitched well when he was healthy last season and didn’t have any arm issues. You also will get a full look at Nick Pivetta, the righty starter who Boston acquired from the Phillies for Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman. Pivetta was impressive in two late- season starts and he has always had good stuff. The Red Sox are confident he now has the tools to be more consistent. Tanner Houck, Boston's No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline, certainly created a lot of hope when he made three dominant starts to finish the season. Houck will be a pitcher to watch in Spring Training.

Beyond that, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom will try to find another starter or two on the open market. There are some really interesting short-term possibilities: How about getting Masahiro Tanaka to switch sides in the rivalry? What about a reunion with Jon Lester? Or a reunion with Rich Hill? There is a lot of supply on the starting market, so I think Bloom can do well here.

Any indication as to which free agents the team has focused on? -- @Bill_Doucet

I think it is still a bit too early to tell, but I do believe the Red Sox are being open minded and waiting to see how the market plays out. If they could get a starting pitcher like Corey Kluber on an affordable, short- term deal, that would be good. You also have the list of pitchers I mentioned above. I think they will mainly be focused on pitching -- both starters and relievers. I also expect them to keep a very close eye on the sweepstakes. They will have an outfield void to fill if Jackie Bradley Jr. signs elsewhere, and Springer is the best player on that market.

What are the Red Sox's chances at Springer in free agency and what other teams around the league seem like logical fits for him? -- @Mattd_Edwards

Given Springer’s New England roots and the relationships he has with Red Sox manager Alex Cora, setup man (his roommate in college) and assistant hitting coach Pete Fatse (fellow UConn alum), you’d have to think Boston is, at the very least, in the mix. I’d be worried about the Mets. They obviously have money to spend and they are also in fairly close proximity to Springer's hometown of New Britain, Conn. The Blue Jays are another team that has already been linked to Springer. He figures to have a lot of suitors.

Would love to see the Red Sox get Javier Báez to play second base. What are the chances of that? I understand they will be looking for pitching, but a player like him could help solidify Boston's lineup. -- @ChristianJr__

I don’t doubt that Báez would be a great upgrade for the Red Sox at second base while giving them a big lineup boost. I believe this despite Báez having an offensive decline in 2020 that was as dramatic as the one J.D. Martinez had. I sort of take ’20 stats with a grain of salt. The problem that I’m having is seeing where the sides match up. As you say, the Cubs would probably be looking for pitching and the Red Sox need to add in that area rather than subtract.

What are the Sox going to do with Andrew Benintendi? Especially if he struggles out of the gate, it will be hard to keep him as a regular. -- @xannnnder

Watching Benintendi in Spring Training and in Summer Camp last year, it was obvious that he still has plenty of athleticism and hasn’t lost his skills overnight. Once the season started, things sped up on Benintendi, then they snowballed and then he got hurt. It was just a perfect storm that led to a tough shortened season. I think Cora can once again get the most out of Benintendi and he can get back to being the type of player he was in 2017 and ’18. The big question is where he fits in the lineup. Is he a No. 1 or 2 hitter, or more of a No. 5 or 6 guy?

Any insights on Theo Epstein? -- @terrylyons

I’ve known Epstein for nearly two decades, so I take him at his word when he says that he doesn’t think he will be working in a baseball front office next season. With that said, I fully expect his competitive juices to be flowing by this time next year and he will land a top job -- assuming he wants one. Will the Mets hire a placeholder under their team president Sandy Alderson for this season, simply to keep the seat warm for Epstein? I wouldn’t rule that out.

The Phillies situation also bears watching. Will they hire a president of baseball operations type this winter, or just go with a general manager in hopes they can lure Epstein in 2021? It was interesting to hear Epstein in his farewell to the Cubs press conference talk about the possibility of being involved in ownership in the future. I do think that is further down the road. I think we all look forward to seeing what Epstein’s next step will be.

* NBC Sports Boston

Why Snell's situation in Tampa is reminiscent of Ainge/Harden

John Tomase

Back before the Celtics became a (temporary, as it turns out) destination for Al Horford, Kyrie Irving, and Gordon Hayward, Danny Ainge watched from the sidelines while the Thunder traded budding All-Star James Harden.

Ainge knew Harden was an ascendant and transcendent player. He knew he could be the centerpiece of any rebuild. He also knew the Celtics didn't have the pieces to make it happen.

"We would've loved to be in on James Harden," Ainge told me in 2015, three years after the Thunder shipped the killer left-hander to the Rockets, where he has since blossomed into an MVP and Hall of Famer.

The Celtics rectified their assets problem by shipping Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets for three first-rounders that effectively became Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Irving. When the next Harden came along, they had positioned themselves not to miss.

I can't help but think of Harden today with the news that the are willing to entertain offers on ace left-hander Blake Snell. MLB.com is reporting that the Rays might consider shipping out the final three years and $39 million remaining on Snell's eminently reasonable extension in order to create payroll flexibility after having their bottom line ravaged by the pandemic.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom recently told WEEI that he wouldn't be worried about trading within the division with the Rays, whom he knows well from the dozen years he spent in the organization.

A call to his former coworkers about Snell would be a natural, except for one problem -- the Red Sox have almost nothing to offer. Unless they're willing to part with budding All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers -- who's more like the Harden in this scenario than Snell -- it's hard to imagine they'll be able to outbid a team like, say, Snell's hometown Mariners, who boast a deep farm system and a gambling GM in Jerry Dipoto who's not afraid to take big swings.

The Red Sox found themselves in a similar situation at this exact time four years ago when a pitcher with a résumé even more impressive than Snell's hit the market. Chris Sale also featured a team-friendly extension, but the White Sox knew he didn't fit the timeline of their rebuild.

When White Sox GM Rick Hahn engaged Red Sox counterpart at the GM meetings that fall, the two sides already knew they made a potential match. Boston's farm system was swimming in elite talent, and a package featuring top prospects and put the Red Sox in the driver's seat to acquire the multi-time All-Star.

Dombrowski's win-now approach yielded a World Series in 2018, but it left the Red Sox barren on the farm. Even if they pooled their three best prospects -- slugging first baseman , solid second baseman Jeter Downs, and hard-throwing right-hander Bryan Mata -- they'd come up woefully short against any package the Mariners could assemble, since boasts two of the top 15 prospects in all of baseball in Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez.

The Red Sox, in other words, are exactly where Ainge found himself eight years ago, on the outside looking in. We can quibble with the notion that Snell is a transcendent player, especially with an injury history that has turned him into a five-inning pitcher. But the larger point is that Trader Danny did something about it, snagging the pieces that made the Celtics relevant on the superstar trade market during the seven-year window that just ended with this year's draft.

Bloom wants to put the Red Sox in a similar spot, where a strong farm system makes them a threat to consummate any trade. They may eventually get there, but for now they may have to watch someone else go out and get Blake Snell.

* BostonSportsJournal.com

Could the Red Sox pry Blake Snell loose from the Rays?

Sean McAdam

The Red Sox — as you may have noticed — desperately need starting pitching. And it just so happens that a very good starting pitcher — in his prime and under control for the next three seasons — has recently been made available via trade, according to MLB.com.

The Tampa Bay Rays have signaled that, for the right offer of course, they would consider dealing Blake Snell. Snell, who will soon turn 28, is two years removed from winning the Award. This past year, he was 4-2, 3.24 for the A.L. East champion Rays. In six postseason starts, he was 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA, topped by his magnificent outing in Game 6 of the World Series, when he limited the Dodgers to just two hits and a run before being infamously lifted by manager .

Snell is signed for three more seasons at $39 million — a more-than-reasonable expenditure for a pitcher of his status.

But these being the Rays, they’re always open to moving salary and starting over. So for the right offer, they’d be willing to swap Snell. After all, in the past, the Rays have traded and as they neared free agency.

Snell, with three more years of control, isn’t nearly as close to free agency as Price and Shields were, but the pandemic and resulting economic uncertainty may force the Rays’ hand here. Already, the budget- conscious Rays have passed on a $15 million option for and designated outfielder for assignment in payroll-cutting moves.

And it may be that Snell’s value will never be higher. Three years is a lot of control — for comparison’s sake, Chris Sale had three years of control when the Red Sox traded for him in December of 2016.

As a division rival, the Red Sox would likely have to pay an extra premium on a deal for Snell — the cost of the Rays having to see Snell as many as a half dozen times per season for the next three years.

Given all that, would a trade for Snell make sense for the Red Sox?

Economically, the answer is an unequivocal “yes.” The chance to acquire a front-of-the-rotation starter for an AAV of $13 million is the essence of a no-brainer. Think of it this way: If Snell were to join the Red Sox, he’d earn $11 million less than Nathan Eovaldi would over the next two seasons.

A bigger question might be: do the Red Sox have enough to satisfy the Rays? Their farm system may be improving, but it’s nowhere near a Top 10 system — the way it was when the Sox backed up the truck to pry Sale loose from the White Sox. According to most experts, the Red Sox don’t have a single prospect ranked in the Top 30 in baseball, which could prove problematic.

Boston could have a difficult time if it got in a bidding war with another organization boasting a far deeper system, like Seattle.

Then there’s the matter of timing. Would this be a good time to make a deal for an established starter?

In one sense, it’s always a good time to upgrade a rotation. There isn’t a team in the game that, in a vacuum, wouldn’t want to add someone like Snell. For the Red Sox, who will start the season without Sale (likely out until June as he recovers from Tommy John surgery) and with the uncertainty facing Eduardo Rodriguez (COVID-19, myocarditis; likely limited in his workload after missing all of last season), Eovaldi is the lone proven major league starter on the roster. And, let’s face it, Eovaldi has not exactly been Mr. Durable.

But as the Red Sox slowly build up their prospect inventory again, they would face the knowledge that obtaining Snell would cost them at least two of their best minor leaguers. Would Snell be worth sacrificing, say, Triston Casas and Jay Groome? And, potentially, more?

Remember, when the Sox acquired Sale, it cost them Yoan Moncada, who was regarded by some as the top prospect in the game, and starter Michael Kopech. Even if Snell isn’t quite in Sale’s league, it would surely require them to give up their best overall prospect (Casas) and much more.

It’s likely the Rays would also insist on the inclusion of a top starting pitching prospect and while Groome has tumbled out of most Top 100 prospects list in the wake of his 2017 Tommy John surgery, he’s still regarded as the Red Sox pitcher with the highest ceiling.

And still, the Red Sox would likely be required to add more to a package — perhaps a close-to-ready young major leaguer like Bobby Dalbec.

Would it be worth it? The view here is yes.

Getting someone the caliber of Snell would provide the rotation with some stability for the next few years. Teamed with Sale, Eovaldi, it would give the Red Sox a strong foundation, and help guard against the potential for losing Rodriguez to free agency after next season.

It would also buy time for the Sox to further develop their remaining starting pitching prospects: Connor Seabold, Bryan Mata, and the more advanced Tanner Houck.

The deal for Sale paid off with a win and two division championships. It may still provide dividends once Sale is fully recovered.

What’s more, obtaining someone of Snell’s stature would provide the Sox with relevance — a not insignificant consideration for a team looking to reclaim a turned-off fan base.

* The Athletic

Could the Red Sox entice the Rays to trade them Blake Snell?

Chad Jennings

Connecting these dots is easy: The Rays reportedly are open to trading Blake Snell, the Red Sox need and want good young pitching, the former Cy Young winner is signed to a team-friendly deal and so Chaim Bloom should be on the phone with his former organization as we speak.

It makes too much sense. In some ways, it’s indisputable.

It’s also hard to bridge the gap between theory and reality.

There’s no question Snell would fit the Red Sox. The bigger questions involve how to make it happen, and whether such a trade would be worth it in the end.

Are the Red Sox in a position to take advantage of Snell? When the Red Sox traded for Chris Sale in December 2016, he too had three years left on a team-friendly deal. The Red Sox unloaded a hefty package of prospects, headlined by two of their very best: and Michael Kopech. Two years later, they had a championship.

But there are key differences between now and then. For starters, Dave Dombrowski was calling the shots in 2016. The Red Sox had just won a division title, and Dombrowski was all-in with a win-now approach. He knew a window of opportunity would be wide open during Sale’s three years of team control.

Today, it’s Bloom who’s in charge, and he’s taken a much longer view of organizational stability. The Red Sox haven’t made the playoffs in two years, and they just had their worst season in a half-century. Their farm system is weaker than it was in 2016, and it’s harder to say with confidence that they’ll be contenders for all — or even most — of the next three years.

That said, Snell would go a long way toward bridging that gap between total irrelevance and absolute contention.

What could the Red Sox comfortably give up to Tampa? Andrew Benintendi and aren’t getting it done, so where could the Red Sox begin building a trade package?

They have some organizational third base depth with Rafael Devers blocking Bobby Dalbec and Hudson Potts at the position. They have two corner outfielders with similar offensive profiles in Benintendi and Alex Verdugo, though Verdugo actually lived up to that profile this season and Benintendi hasn’t done so since 2018. They have one elite first base prospect in Triston Casas, and an even younger, less-proven, less- heralded version in Blaze Jordan. They have two up-the-middle prospects close to the majors in Jeter Downs and Jarren Duran, but those two are unicorns in the Red Sox system. Their next tier of shortstops, second basemen and center fielders doesn’t measure up.

On the pitching side, the Red Sox accumulated some upper-level rotation depth with the addition of Connor Seabold, the re-emergence of Jay Groome, and the continued development of Bryan Mata, Tanner Houck and Thad Ward. They have Darwinzon Hernandez and prefer him as a reliever at the moment, but perhaps the Rays would value him as a starter?

Keep in mind, Snell is signed through 2023. That’s the same amount of time Devers is under team control, so even including him in the deal might not improve the Rays’ financial situation very much. Benintendi and Eduardo Rodriguez have even fewer years of team control than Snell, so they’re not helping the Rays much at all.

How much would it take to be worthwhile for the Rays? When the Rays traded Chris Archer to Pittsburgh in 2018, Archer’s value was considerably lower than Snell’s is today. He was older, with fewer years of team control and his performance was already fading. Even so, the Rays got a top 50 prospect (Austin Meadows) and a high-upside, big-league reclamation project (). It stands as one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory.

If that seems too high a standard — a repeat of a Pirates mistake — remember the Rays would be offering something more valuable this time. Also, they just played in the World Series, so a low-level prospect might not be their ideal return. Like the A’s in “Moneyball,” the Rays might want to make up for Snell in the aggregate — three cheap big-league contributors to make up for the loss of one.

Would they demand Verdugo be involved? He’s Boston’s most valuable, young major-league contributor. Perhaps one of Houck or Mata? They’re the Red Sox pitching prospects with the best combination of upside and readiness. Would they be willing to wait for Casas, or would they need one of Downs or Duran (or both)?

Just imagine, from the Rays’ side, what they would have to get in return to justify trading a player like Snell at this point in his career. And imagine what other teams, clearly ready to contend the next three seasons, would be willing to give up to get him.

Can the Red Sox and Rays get creative to facilitate a trade? The Sale trade was pretty straightforward: overwhelm the White Sox with young talent and get one of the best pitchers in the game. Trade the future for the present. After that, it’s only a question of how much is too much?

A trade for Snell would be more complicated because the Red Sox aren’t clearly on the verge of a championship and the Rays aren’t strictly rebuilding for the distant future. So, how might the two sides think beyond a fair price for Snell?

WEEI’s Rob Bradford has floated the idea of Tampa including outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, who would add value to the Red Sox proposal by playing to their relative strength: deep pockets.

Kiermaier and Snell are the highest-paid players on the Rays roster by quite a bit, and Kiermaier’s offensive performance has dragged the past three years, making him less valuable to such a penny-pinching organization. The Red Sox, though, could use a center fielder and probably have enough bats to make up for Kiermaier’s offensive shortcomings. Especially if those shortcomings are coupled with a Snell-sized improvement in the rotation.

But is taking on Kiermaier’s salary enough to lower the asking price? Would that put such a trade into the realm of possibility?

Do the Red Sox and Rays really want to make a trade? When Bradford first broached the subject of Snell to the Red Sox, it was in response to Bloom saying in a radio interview that the Rays might not be categorically opposed to a trade within the division.

“If you believe in your process, even if it’s something that is risky, even if it’s something that might be unpopular, you have to be willing to follow that,” Bloom said.

But divisional trades are difficult on both sides. The Rays don’t want to make their next division title significantly more difficult, and the Red Sox don’t want to make the Rays a long-term force to be reckoned with. It’s one thing to see Moncada hit 25 home runs in Chicago. It would be something else to see Casas emerge as a star in Tampa. On the flip side, it’s worth noting that the Rays have traded a lot of good, notable players in the past decade — Archer, , David Price, , James Shields, Ben Zobrist, , , Jake Odorizzi, and to name 10 — but none of those 10 were traded in the division. They let the Red Sox rent three months of Nathan Eovaldi in 2018, but trading three years of Snell is quite a bit different.

Remember, too, the Rays have kept themselves in business by doing well on the trade market. They’re not an easy organization to fleece. There’s no question Snell would fit the needs of the Red Sox. Figuring out how to actually make that happen, though, is where it gets tricky.