Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals have options to sell high ahead of MLB trade deadline

Boston Red Sox should sell high on these two players

Sitting in last place in the American League East, it’s easy to say the Red Sox will be sellers. They are still hanging around in the Wild Card race, but in order to get into a playoff spot, they have to pass at least one team in their division and two other teams. Easier said than done.

Last season, Chaim Bloom sold at the trade deadline and he should again this season. Instead of waiting for the August 1 deadline, he has an opportunity to sell before the deadline and he has the chance to sell high on two players, pitcher James Paxton and centerfielder Adam Duvall.

Bloom took a risk signing Paxton, who has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons, by signing him to a one-year, $10 million contract ahead of the 2022 season and the left-hander exercised his $4 million player option for 2023. With his injury history, his value will never be higher for Boston.

He was just named AL pitcher of the month for June after going 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA in 31 innings and 34 strikeouts. His best start was his final one on Friday (June 30) when he went 7.2 innings, scattering three hits and striking out seven in a 5-0 shutout of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Adam Duvall was signed to a one-year, $7 million contract last offseason to fill a void in center field. It was a very promising start to the season for Duvall as through the first nine games, he had four home runs and 13 RBI, but a wrist injury on April 9 in Detroit caused him to miss nearly two months. Since returning, he has not been the same hitter, but his defense remains on par.

Paxton and Duvall are veteran players that have been on the big stage of the playoffs before and would be a valuable assets to any contending team. Bloom has an opportunity to sell high on two veterans who really don’t have a future in Boston beyond 2023.

St. Louis Cardinals should sell high on these two players

There are a number of teams that have underachieved this season. Believe it or not, one of those teams is the Cardinals. Usually buyers at the trade deadline, there is a strong possibility that they’ll be sellers and they have two pieces that contending teams should have an interest in.

The first one is first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. It’s clear that St. Louis is going to begin a rebuild and no matter how long it is, the power-hitting Goldschmidt will not be part of it. After taking two out of three from the New York Yankees over the weekend, they have dropped the first two against the Miami Marlins and have not looked good in doing so.

There would be a number of suitors for his services if the Cardinals made him available and they could even look to get a rebuild piece in return. A power-hitting first baseman who can come off of the bench as a pinch hitter to add DH at-bats is what contenders will be lining up for, especially with one year remaining on his contract.

Another option that could help the rebuild in trading is Tommy Edman. He is two years removed from winning a Gold Glove and is not having one of his better offensive seasons in his fifth season but, at 28 years old, like Goldschmidt, he is a young utility player with an offensive upside is another interesting piece for a contender.

There is just under a month until the trade deadline and rumors are going to begin to run wild, but the Red Sox and Cardinals are two teams that can take advantage of an early market. Before things start to heat up, now is there chance to sell high.