*Photo from the Boston Globe*
The Boston Red Sox were not a great baseball team in 2020. That's pretty clear. Last place in the AL East with a 24-36 record, there weren't too many things that were great, or even good, during the season for the Red Sox, or their fans.
At the trade deadline, they traded away some pieces of the team. Looking back on these trades now, president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom seriously fleeced the teams he traded with. Here's a look at those trades, after the season has concluded.
The first trade Bloom struck was actually a week or so before the trade deadline, with the Philadelphia Phillies. Bloom sent closer Brandon Workman and reliever Heath Hembree to the Phillies in exchange for starter/reliever Nick Pivetta and pitching prospect Connor Seabold, ranked 23rd in the Phillies system. At the time, it was a win-win trade, as the Phillies desperately needed bullpen help, and the Red Sox needed young controllable pitching for the future.
Let's just say it didn't end up being a win-win trade. In Workman's first appearance with the Phillies, he blew a save in the 9th and the Braves walked off as well. If that was a premonition, it was dead on. Workman had a ballooned 6.92 ERA in 14 appearances with the Phillies, posting a 1-4 record as well. Hembree was somehow worse, posting a hideous 12.54 ERA in 11 appearances with the Phillies.
On the Red Sox side of things, Pivetta made two starts for the Red Sox down the stretch, winning both games and giving up two total runs. Seabold spent the rest of the season at the Red Sox alternate site in Pawtucket, RI, where he reportedly impressed the coaches down there with his ability, and his pitch development.
At this time, fresh into the offseason, Pivetta will become a free agent after the 2024 season, while Seabold will be under control for longer than that, and if Pivetta can become what the Red Sox think he can be, that will be a fantastic add. Same goes for Seabold, as he looks to be a call up candidate at some point during 2021, if all goes right. Workman and Hembree, however, are both free agents, with Workman's contract expiring at the end of the season, and Hembree being outrighted off the roster and electing free agency. That put the touches on a big trade win for Bloom and the Red Sox.
The second more notable trade was actually made on the deadline, this time with the Padres, who were intent on going all-in. The Red Sox sent first baseman Mitch Moreland to the Padres for two of San Diego's top 30 prospects, 3rd baseman Hudson Potts and outfielder Jeisson Rosario. Moreland suffered a bit of a production drop in San Diego, hitting two homers and 8 RBI in 20 games played for the Padres.
On the Red Sox side, Potts and Rosario reported to Pawtucket to spend time with the alternate site members, and showed progress on their overall games while in Pawtucket, with Potts adding a homer to left field in a simulated game, and Rosario making some neat defensive plays as well. Moreland had his option declined by the Padres after the world series ended, making him a free agent. This means the Padres gave up two promising top 30 prospects for one month of a platoon first baseman, a massive steal for Bloom.
Bloom also made some more minor trades on deadline day, sending struggling reliever Josh Osich to the Cubs for a player to be named later, who has not been determined yet, and shipping Kevin Pillar to the Rockies for a player to be named later, which turned out to be reliever and Massachusetts native Jacob Wallace. Osich got cut by the Cubs, and Pillar is a free agent as well, as he was on a one year contract with the Red Sox.
Wallace, on the other hand, is a starter/reliever from UConn, who, according to scouts, has the potential to blaze through the minors with an electrifying fastball, and other pitches with a plus rating. The Red Sox seemed to like his ability as well, despite the fact he did not join the player pool for the remainder of the season.
These trades are serious robbery of some teams by Bloom. In Philly's case, he took two young and high upside starting pitchers for two old relievers who fell apart after getting traded. In San Diego's case, he stole two top 30 prospects who are skilled with the glove and the bat for an older, platoon style first baseman. In Colorado's case, he took a starter/reliever potential player for one month of a veteran outfielder.
Bottom line, Chaim Bloom is building something in Boston, and the trade deadline was a big jump start on it, as Bloom is quietly re-stocking a Red Sox farm system that was one of baseball's best 7 years ago.
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