The Boston Red Sox needed a right-handed bat and they landed one Saturday in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The deal for Danny Jansen might not be the only way Craig Breslow and company look to bolster the offense before the deadline, though.
In a column published to The Athletic on Sunday, former MLB general manager Jim Bowden highlighted the 13 best position players who realistically could be moved before Tuesday’s deadline. Third on the list was Brent Rooker, who reportedly has drawn interest from the Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins.
Boston reportedly checking in with Oakland about Rooker makes plenty of sense. The Athletics, one of the worst teams in baseball, should be active sellers over the next few days and Rooker swings a powerful right-handed bat that could help the Red Sox in their postseason push. However, the 2023 All-Star typically splits time between designated hitter and the corner outfield positions, and Boston definitely is more in need of a middle infielder.
So, is the potential fit absolutely ideal? No. But Alex Cora certainly could find ways to make it work with Rooker, who’s hit 55 home runs since the start of the last season. The 29-year-old also wouldn’t be a rental, as he has three arbitration years left on his current contract.
