Red Sox closer 'still expendable' at the MLB trade deadline despite team's recent success
Red Sox closer 'still expendable' at the MLB trade deadline despite team's recent success
The Boston Red Sox have been playing really good baseball over the last few weeks, moving into a wild-card spot and six games above .500 after Wednesday night's game against the Toronto Blue Jays was suspended.
While the Red Sox could keep winning for another month and put themselves in a great position to buy at the MLB trade deadline, there's no guarantee that the team won't do some selling no matter what their record is.
The Athletic's Jim Bowden recently listed Jansen as one of the top relievers still available at the deadline, as discussions with baseball decision-makers have insisted that he could still be on the move.
Here's what Bowden wrote:
"If the season ended today, the Red Sox would make the playoffs as the American League’s third wild-card team, which makes it hard for me to believe they would trade their closer at the deadline. However, rival execs reminded me there could be several “buyer-to-buyer” type trades this year and that Jansen could be expendable in the right swap. Jansen has logged a 2.30 ERA in 27 appearances this year with 15 saves in 16 opportunities. He’s an impending free agent."
Speaking with the Boston Globe's Alex Speier, Jansen reiterated he's happy to be in Boston, and that he can't focus on what could happen in the future.
“Listen, I can’t control my destiny. What I can tell you is, I signed here to win championships. Yes, we are a few pieces away. But I think it’s a great ball club and I’m going to continue to be a leader,” Jansen said. “If I’m not here, I hope the best for them. But I will focus every single day on coming out here and helping my young guys to be better because I want to see this organization win another championship.”
The veteran closer has done and said all of the right things despite all of the uncertainty, which is certainly commendable. However, in a year where it would take a lot of things going right for the Red Sox to win the World Series, they should probably make an effort to get something back for a player who is hitting free agency.