Red Sox News & Links: Sox, Breslow still not committing to buying at trade deadline - Over the Monster

What the report says

Over The Monster reported on July 20 that the Boston Red Sox’s recent surge has not yet pushed chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and the front office into a firm trade-deadline buying posture. The piece frames Boston’s turnaround as especially notable because it has come after a poor first three months and without injured hitter Roman Anthony, described as one of the club’s most important offensive players.

According to the article, Anthony recently continued his rehab in Fort Myers but had not resumed swinging a bat because of lingering hand discomfort. Over The Monster cited comments from Chad Tracy indicating the team does not want Anthony hitting while still in pain, given the risk involved and his importance to the lineup. The report also pointed to Boston’s starting pitching as the main driver of the winning run, citing Boston Globe reporting that the club allowed only 17 runs across the first 11 wins of the streak, its lowest such total in a single-season 11-game span since 1918.

The article noted that Boston matched a 13-game winning streak last seen by the franchise in 1948, while also crediting offensive contributions from players including Wilyer Abreu, Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin. Contreras, cited via Boston.com, said he took fan frustration personally but was proud of how the team had responded after its difficult start.

Despite the streak, Over The Monster cited ESPN’s Jeff Passan in saying the Red Sox’s deadline approach remained unsettled ahead of Aug. 3. The key issue is whether a short burst of strong play should persuade Boston to pursue reinforcements, or whether the front office should stay flexible in case the team slips back toward mediocrity.