Big things sometimes come in threes, and the Boston Red Sox could be setting up something huge this winter.
After acquiring three-time All-Star pitcher Sonny Gray last week, the Red Sox nabbed hard-throwing righty Johan Oviedo in a five-player trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday. It cost a steep price, as Pittsburgh nabbed top outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia, but Boston’s outfield surplus made it possible.
Oviedo could be a playoff-caliber starter for the Red Sox if he capitalizes on his immense ceiling. But as one insider explained on Thursday night, this trade also may just be the move before the move.
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What Red Sox could be setting up with Oviedo move
As Sean McAdam of MassLive stated in his most recent report, the Red Sox’s newfound starting pitching surplus enables them to put together a package to acquire just about any available trade target in the sport, if that’s their wish.
“(The deal gives) the Red Sox a surplus of starters and could free them to move one of their young arms to address another roster need,” McAdam wrote. “The Sox are still in desperate need of at least one if not two power bats in the lineup and the abundance of starting pitching candidates could allow the Sox to bypass — for one move, at least — the expensive free agent market.
“At the very least, the surplus of starters puts the Sox in an enviable position as the Winter Meetings gets underway in Orlando this weekend. It would seem that Crochet, Gray, Oviedo and Brayan Bello are untouchable, but nearly any other of the team’s young controllable arm could put the Sox in a position teams can only dream of.”
To play devil’s advocate on McAdam’s last point, are we sure Bello is in the untouchables category? He got an extension, yes, but that deal doesn’t make him less palatable for teams who might be interested. And the goal entering the offseason was to add a starter who could supplant Bello as a Game 2 starter in October, which they arguably haven’t done yet.
Other than that, it’s time for the mock trades to start flying. Is acquiring Freddy Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers on the table? Are Payton Tolle and Connelly Early going to be shipped out in a deal alongside Jarren Duran?
Anything feels possible, and that could well mean chaos is on its way.
More MLB: Red Sox’s Johan Oviedo Trade Looks Even Better In Light Of Previous Report