And now, a few more pieces that just need to stay with the Boston Red Sox.
Jackie Bradley Jr. is an unrestricted free agent after 2020. He has never finished a season with a batting average above .267, his next best year a miserable .249. He rarely steals any bases and he does not clear the bases very often, either.
His best quality, his glove, however, does not disappoint. Major League Baseball is routinely treated to a leaping web gem from the 30-year old outfielder.
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Despite his stellar defense, Bradley Jr. is nowhere near the makings of a star. Boston could afford to lose him in their lineup and playoff contenders in need of late-inning reliable defense could pay a high price. The Red Sox also possesses a select array of substitutes to fill in during his absence in Kevin Pillar and Tzu-Wei Lin.
The big-name pitchers are Sale, “E-Rod,” and Eovaldi, but there is no sense in dumping good pitching for the BoSox. Like tea parties, they are best kept in Boston.
Unless upper management decides that cleaning house and trading away the entire team is in their best interests, quality pitching should stay.
Additionally, if the current three-game winning streak is a fluke and the season continues to swirl down the drainpipe, the Red Sox are sure to grab a high-ranking first-round draft pick and add a future star to their already stud-filled lineup.