The 2023 MLB trade deadline has come and gone with plenty of winners and losers. Two teams that a lot will consider losers are the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees … but are they really losers?
Boston GM Chaim Bloom and New York GM Brian Cashman both were quiet at the deadline, which is a rarity. Usually, the two American League East rivals are bidding against each other for some of the top talent available. That was not the case this season.
The Red Sox and Yankees are usually the two teams at the top of the division standings, but that’s not the case in 2023 as they are bringing up the rear looking up at the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays. All three of those teams are holding one of the six AL postseason spots and all three improved at the deadline.
There is a very real possibility that both the Red Sox and Yankees will not make it to October baseball and will be watching the playoffs from home. Bloom and Cashman both must feel the same way after each making one minor addition. Boston acquired minor leaguer Luis Urias from the Milwaukee Brewers and the Yankees acquired relief pitcher Keynan Middleton from the Chicago White Sox. Neither move is going to make a difference for either team.
The #RedSox today acquired INF Luis Urías from the Milwaukee Brewers, in exchange for minor league RHP Bradley Blalock. The club also optioned Urías to Triple-A Worcester. pic.twitter.com/t9rU99hxbu
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 1, 2023
Both GMs have a lot of questions to answer for their fanbases, but in the bigger, more realistic picture, neither fanbase should be surprised at what each did do and what they didn’t do. Here are three reasons why the Red Sox and Yankees did what they did leading up to 6 p.m. Eastern on August 1.